High Court rules government net zero aim falls short of the mark

The 2050 plan lacks sufficient detail, the court has found

The government’s net zero by 2050 strategy has been ruled to breach obligations under the Climate Change Act by the High Court.

This is due to a lack of detail on how the target will be met, with the government instructed to bring a new report to Parliament.

For June’s carbon budget, it was found that only 95% of the emissions reduction were accounted for, with 5% missing between 2033 and 2037.

Judge Mr Justice Holgate said the plan “lacked any quantitative assessment of the contributions expected to be made by individual policies to reductions in emissions.”

A new report has been requested to be put in front of Parliament before March end.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy commented: “The Net Zero Strategy remains government policy and has not been quashed.

“The judge made no criticism about the substance of our plans which are well on track and, in fact, the claimants themselves described them as ‘laudable’ during the proceedings.”

Make sure you check out the latest Net Hero Podcast episode:

Net zero is a way to cut your costs and help the planet, so what’s stopping you? Often, it’s just the right help and advice. That’s what we will provide at the Big Zero Show this July. Workshops, expert speakers, case studies and exhibitions. Plus, networking with 1500 peers and potential customers. Register for free now.


Latest Podcast