The Climate Change Committee has said it has less confidence in the UK’s ability to hit its net zero goals despite the government publishing a long-awaited and detailed Carbon Budget Delivery Plan (CBDP).
The CCC said “glimmers of the Net Zero transition” can be seen in growing sales of new electric cars and the continued deployment of renewable capacity, but the scale up of action overall is “worryingly slow”.
The government continues to place its reliance on technological solutions that have not been deployed at scale, in preference to more straightforward encouragement of people to reduce high-carbon activities the committee added.
The CCC has again flagged the risks of a policy programme that amongst other things is too slow to plant trees and roll-out heat pumps.
CCC chairman Lord Deben (pictured) said “even in these times of extraordinary fossil fuel prices, government has been too slow to embrace cleaner, cheaper alternatives and too keen to support new production of coal, oil and gas”.
He urged the government to regroup on net zero and commit to bolder delivery.
“This is a period when pace must be prioritised over perfection,” he added.
While the remit of the new Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has brought welcome focus to the programme, but progress has not been made on seven of the priority recommendations to BEIS in last year’s progress report.
The CCC said rapid reform to planning is necessary.
“In a range of areas, the deployment of essential upgrades to the electricity grid and other Net Zero infrastructure is being stymied by restrictive planning rules,” it stated.
“The planning system should have an overarching requirement to ensure planning decisions give full regard to Net Zero.”
The government does not expect to make a strategic decision on the role of hydrogen in heating until 2026.
It must overcome this uncertainty by accelerating deployment of electric heating and pressing ahead with low-regret energy infrastructure decisions.
Reacting to the Climate Change Committee’s 2023 report to Parliament, Environmental Audit Committee Chairman Philip Dunne said: “Snappy, soundbite intent of ‘installing 600,000 heat pumps annually’, or ‘planting 30,000 hectares of trees a year’ sound impressive, but the detail on delivery and progress remains lacking.
“The CCC has pointed out these initiatives, which the committee has also examined, are far from being on track to meet the net zero targets set for this decade let alone for the next decades on the path to net zero by 2050.
“Quick wins ranging from allowing more onshore wind and solar, reviewing planning rules around grid development, insulating homes and clear policy to create the green jobs of the future are just a few initiatives that can deliver real, tangible benefits.
“Our committee has been advocating these measures throughout this Parliament, backed up by clear and consistent evidence from a range of experts.”
Head of politics for Greenpeace UK Rebecca Newsom said: “The same government that promised to deliver the most ambitious environmental programme of any country on earth is now turbocharging fossil fuel expansion while actively blocking renewables and neglecting home insulation, public transport and an ageing power grid.
“Sunak is snubbing the solutions that can give us lower bills, warmer homes and a safer climate, while cheerleading for the oil giants making billions from climate destruction and people’s hardship. Whose side is he on?”
REA chief executive Nina Skorupska said: “We agree with the CCC’s criticism of government in the recent months of prioritising new fossil fuel exploration, while other advanced countries are providing renewed fiscal support and legislation to advance the energy transition, such as the EU Green Deal Package and the US Inflation Reduction Act.
“It is clear that government should now use the upcoming Autumn Statement to respond to this report by delivering real polices designed to deliver against the Government’s own power, heat, transport and circular economy targets.”
A statement from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in response to the CCC’s report said the UK is going “far beyond” other countries and delivering tangible progress.
A government spokesperson said: “The UK is cutting emissions faster than any other G7 country and attracted billions of investment into renewables, which now account for 40% of our electricity.
“In the last year alone, we have confirmed the first state backing of a nuclear project in over 30 years and invested billions to kickstart new industries like carbon capture and floating offshore wind.
“With a new department dedicated to delivering net zero and energy security, we are driving economic growth, creating jobs, bringing down energy bills, and reducing our dependence on imported fossil fuels.”