Abandoning 2050 Net Zero target would be reckless backward step

Claims that net zero cannot be achieved by 2050 without a serious drop in the UK living standards are wrong, said Midlands green energy expert Ron Fox.

He was commenting on a speech recently by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch who said lower energy costs and environmental protection were noble aims. But current policies were largely failing to improve nature, while at the same time energy prices were going up and the policy could bankrupt Britain.

She said: “We’re falling between two stools – too high costs and too little progress,” adding: “Net zero by 2050 is impossible.”

But, as a minister in the previous government, Badenoch promoted the 2050 target as “crucial” to “achieve a cleaner, green future”.

However, her comments do not go as far as Reform UK, which has called for net zero targets to be scrapped in their entirety.

“I agree with Kemi that we need to bring down our high energy bills,” said Ron of Noreus Ltd. “But the problem of expensive electricity and gas is not because we have too much home-grown clean energy but too little. The main reason for high energy prices in the UK has been an increase in the global price of gas, which has been the largest source of fuel for years.”

He added: “If we want abundant energy, we simply have to make it quicker, easier and cheaper by building a new generation of nuclear power plants. Tackling climate change is not at the expense of economic growth – we can build new sources of clean energy that cut our bills and cut our emissions at the same time as growing our economy.”

The UK is legally committed to reaching net zero by 2050 under a law passed by Theresa May in 2019. It means the UK must cut carbon emissions until the country removes as much as it produces, in line with the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. And last month Baroness May of Maidenhead joined the debate by saying ending cross-party support for net zero would harm future generations and end up costing Britons more.

The UN and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has warned that global CO2 emissions must reach net zero by then to limit global temperature rises to only 1.5C.

Many governments worldwide are investing in renewables to meet the international climate targets.

Labour is expanding renewable energy and said in its election manifesto it would invest £8.3bn in Great British Energy, a state-owned clean energy company, over five years.

It has promised to bring down household energy bills by up to £300 by 2030. But UK energy bills went up in January, and are expected to rise again in April.

Ron, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science Innovation Park, concluded: “Net zero isn’t just an environmental necessity, it’s an economic opportunity and a national security priority. As a country we have made huge progress with the cost of producing renewable green energy falling significantly in the past decade. While further progress is needed, backing away from this challenge now would be a reckless backward step.”

For green energy advice, contact Ron on 0845 474 6641 or go to www.noreus.co.uk.

Caption: Powerful argument – Solar panels are important in the fight to reach net zero by 2050.