Is the UK on Track to Meet its 2050 Net Zero Promise?

The situation

The United Kingdom claims to be working towards a net zero carbon emissions goal by 2050. This entails that greenhouse gas emissions would be equal to the emissions removed from the atmosphere. The ‘net zero target’, revised in 2019, is a government commitment for a 100% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared with 1990 levels (UK Government, 2023). The aim is to lift the effects of global warming and consequently climate change. The June 2023 progress report conveyed a decrease in confidence over the UK meeting its mid-term targets to 2050, with evidence to suggest that we are far behind many countries in Europe. The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, made a speech in September 2023 in which he claimed to set out a more relaxed, revised approach to reach net zero by 2050, intending to ‘ease’ the burdens on families (Sunak, 2023). With the cost-of-living crisis and energy prices soaring, the public is growing frustrated at the government’s lack of accountability along with how little is being done to change our current policies and attitudes surrounding the issue.

2023 was the warmest year since global records began in 1850, with temperatures rising over 1.35 °C above pre-industrial levels (Lindsey and Dahlman, 2024). The UK is far behind in investment in renewable energy compared to its European counterparts. Countries such as Norway and Iceland have taken the lead as they go above and beyond their targets for carbon emissions. Iceland, with an impressive generation of 99% of electricity production stemming from renewable sources, aims to cut emissions back 40% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 (Iceland’s Government, 2020). They seem to be well on track due to their heavy investment and production of hydroelectricity, which relies on water from meltwater rivers flowing off large glaciers (Green by Iceland, 2023).

Are we doing enough?

The Net Zero Strategy policy published in 2021 aims for a decarbonisation of all sectors within the UK economy to meet their 2050 net zero goal (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 2021). Despite the UK’s large dependence on fossil fuels, there have been improvements in the battle to meet our long-term sustainability targets for 2050. For example, the amount of UK electricity generated from fossil fuels fell by 22% in 2023 whilst the UK’s net zero economy grew by 9% (Carbon Brief, 2024). Furthermore, there has been a retention of the policy for most new vehicles sold to be electric by 2030 and support through cash injections for offshore wind developments, a crucial source in the UK’s renewable energy sector (Sunak, 2023). However, this may not be enough if we aim to meet our climate targets for 2050. 

The UK’s efforts have come under scrutiny from parliamentary committees along with climate activists in recent years. Environmental activists are growing more concerned as they take to the streets in controversial methods to pressure the government to revise its policies and push to meet our targets; many policies do not dig into the root causes of greenhouse emissions, which are needed for a sustainable future. Sunak recently backtracking on key policies such as forcing landlords to improve the energy efficiency of rented accommodation and the relaxation of phasing out of gas boilers along with petrol and diesel vehicles has produced not only environmental but also long-term economic risks (Jackson, 2023). As the UK slows in the race for global green growth, investors of green opportunities are left questioning the integrity of UK policies and investing elsewhere. 

The future

The current government claims that they are still confident their net zero target will be met by 2050. The question of whether this is viable comes down to their commitment and willingness to enforce policies which will benefit the future of our planet. More needs to be done to halt the growing threat and implications of climate change along with environmental degradation. The cost of the UK not reaching net zero could have a negative long-term effect on the UK economy by undermining the impact of investment in clean energy – harming growth and leaving households exposed to volatile fossil fuel prices (Jackson, 2023).

Bibliography

Carbon Brief (2024). Analysis: UK electricity from fossil fuels drops to lowest level since 1957. [online] Carbon Brief. Available at: https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-uk-electricity-from-fossil-fuels-drops-to-lowest-level-since-1957/.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (2021). Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/net-zero-strategy.

Iceland Government (2020). Iceland’s 2020 Climate Action Plan. [online] Available at: https://www.government.is/library/01-Ministries/Ministry-for-The-Environment/201004%20Umhverfisraduneytid%20Adgerdaaaetlun%20EN%20V2.pdf.

Jackson, R. (2023). What changes to green policies has the government announced? [online] Good Energy. Available at: https://www.goodenergy.co.uk/blog/governments-latest-review-on-green-policies-net-zero-2030-ev/.

Lindsey, R. and Dahlman, L. (2024). Climate Change: Global Temperature | NOAA Climate.gov. [online] www.climate.gov. Available at: https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-temperature#:~:text=2023%20was%20the%20warmest%20year.

Sunak, R. (2023). PM speech on Net Zero: 20 September 2023. [online] GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-speech-on-net-zero-20-september-2023.

UK Government (2023). Net Zero Government Initiative UK Roadmap to Net Zero Government Emissions Acknowledgements. [online] Available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6569cb331104cf000dfa7352/net-zero-government-emissions-roadmap.pdf.

Green By Iceland. (n.d.). Hydropower in Iceland. Green By Iceland. [online] Available at: https://www.greenbyiceland.com/hydropower/.