The pace at which businesses are moving towards decarbonisation is faster than the government.

That’s the suggestion from Emma Pinchbeck, Chief Executive Officer of Energy UK who spoke to BBC programme Question Time about COP26.

She said: “I work in the private sector now because as a former climate activist I see the private sector moving faster than government, it was a really remarkable COP because business was there in force and sometimes that is viewed with cynicism but most of the businesses I work with, in fact, all of the businesses I work for, but most businesses I saw there, were deadly serious and very, very annoyed that ambition was not there.

“And the reason is simple, the economics in energy have changed. The future is in gree electrons. Everyone knows that not just for the moral mission now for the climate but also because that is where the money is going to be.”

Ms Pinchbeck also called on world leaders to do better not just because it is the right thing to do but “because if you stick to fossil fuels, you are going to get left behind where the economy is going.”

Two months ago, Emma Pinchbeck spoke to ELN about the escalating crisis in the energy market.