What are Rishi Sunak’s policies on net zero and the green agenda – and what could be scrapped?
In 2019, the government put the goal of reaching net zero by 2050 into law, but recently the future of the Conservative Party’s green agenda has been the subject of intense debate.
Sparked by its narrow win in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-election – a battle fought and won by the Conservatives’ opposition to London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) scheme – some in the party are calling for a rethink of their current climate commitments, while others demand the government stays on track with its pledges.
It now appears the former camp may have secured some wins, with the news Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to ditch key climate policies in a speech in the coming days.
After details were leaked to the press, Mr Sunak released a statement with a dig at his predecessors, saying: “For too many years politicians in governments of all stripes have not been honest about costs and trade offs. Instead they have taken the easy way out, saying we can have it all.”
But he did not unveil what plans were going to be kept, and which would be thrown out.
“This realism doesn’t mean losing our ambition or abandoning our commitments,” said Mr Sunak. “Our politics must again put the long-term interests of our country before the short-term political needs of the moment.”
So what are the current pledges from the government? And which could be facing either delays or the axe?
Reaching net zero by 2050
The overarching promise from the Conservative government was to ensure the UK reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 100% from 1990 levels by 2050.
The measure was made law by Theresa May in the dying days of her premiership back in 2019 and it was backed by Boris Johnson throughout his time in Number 10.
But when Liz Truss entered Downing Street, she ordered a review into the target – though her stint ended before it came to pass – showing not everyone in the party was onboard.
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Johnson criticised those against net zero pledge in 2020
Mr Sunak has insisted he is committed to the pledge.
But questions have been raised over whether the government is doing enough to even meet the target, with the Climate Change Committee warning progress had been “worryingly slow”, and time is “very short” to correct the path.
Phasing out petrol and diesel cars by 2030
In 2020, then prime minister Mr Johnson made a commitment to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK after 2030 – bringing the target forward by 10 years.
The £12bn plan promised to accelerate the rollout of charge points for electric vehicles, as well as the development and mass production of electric vehicle batteries, in an attempt to lower emissions and clean up the air.
The government pledged to build more charging points and develop batteries
Number 10 was saying as recently as August that Mr Sunak was committed to the 2030 date, though they hinted the ban was to be kept under review to ensure the prime minister’s promise to be “proportionate and pragmatic” with climate policies was kept.
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove also doubled down over the summer on keeping to the pledge, saying the target is “immoveable”.
But Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch was understood to be pushing back on one element – fining car manufacturers if they don’t meet the target of making at least 22% of the cars they sell electric by 2024.
Current rules would mean a company would be subject to a £15,000 fine for every vehicle that does not comply.
Now, that may be redundant, as the plan is among those expected to be delayed in Mr Sunak’s speech – with the deadline falling back to 2035.
The warring factions of the Tory Party are battling over whether his would be the right decision, but what has been interesting is the reaction of the car industry, with Ford among those calling for the original target to be kept, saying it is “a vital catalyst to accelerate Ford into a cleaner future”.
Energy efficient landlords
Another pledge made by Mr Johnson in 2020 was to ensure all private rented homes had an energy efficiency rating of C or better – where A is the best and G is the worst – by 2028.
While the plan could be costly for landlords, it would lead to a reduction in bills for many renters and stop leaky homes adding to emissions.
But this is one proposal that looks set to have a pin put in it.
Mr Gove, the former environment secretary who is now the minister in charge of housing, said back in July he wanted to see the government “relax the pace” of the 2028 deadline, adding: “We’re asking too much too quickly”.
But now it is on the list of policies that could go in its entirety, with reports no new energy efficiency rules for landlords or homeowners would be brought in.
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The future of boilers
Another target that may be pushed back is ensuring all new homes are built with an alternative to a gas boiler – such as a heat pump – after 2025.
The measure would not impact people who already have gas boilers in their homes, or stop them from replacing like for like, as it would only be a rule for developers building properties.
However, making the move would cut emissions from new buildings and again help towards hitting that net zero target.
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May: ‘There’s a lot of myths around heat pumps’
The wider ambition for all new heating system installations to be low carbon by 2035 – accompanied by a pot of £450m to help with household grants – also looks set to be watered down.
Reports suggest a new target would be to phase out 80% of gas boiler installations by the same date.
The additional policy of banning all off-grid oil boilers by 2026 is also set to be delayed to 2035 – again with a depleted target of 80% being phased out.
Hydrogen levy
Another move that already appears to have been shelved is the introduction of an annual levy to cover the cost of producing low-carbon hydrogen, instead of using fossil fuels, for energy at home.
The fee – which was expected to cost households around £118 a year – was due to be added to bills in 2025, and would help cut emissions by cleaning up the energy market.
But former energy security secretary Grant Shapps – who was recently appointed defence secretary – made numerous protestations about the cost being borne by people rather than companies, and has pledged numerous times to find another way of funding the change.
What else could be for the chop?
According to the government leak – first reported by the BBC – Mr Sunak could also make a pledge not to introduce new taxes to discourage flying.
He is also thought to be considering promising no policies involving changes to people’s diets and no schemes to promote carpooling.
What about the other parties?
When it comes to Labour, one of Sir Keir Starmer’s missions for government is to “make Britain a green energy super power”.
The party said, if it got into power, it would cut bills and increase energy security by making all electricity zero-carbon by 2030, and carry out upgrades to 19 million homes to make sure they are insulated.
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It would also create a new publicly owned company called GB Energy, tasked with championing clean energy, increasing jobs and building better supply chains.
But Labour has backtracked on its £28bn a year investment pledge to accelerate the shift towards net zero, with shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves blaming rising interest rates and the “damage” the Conservatives had done to the economy since the announcement was made.
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January: Energy crisis ’caused by Tory experiment’ – Labour
The Liberal Democrats have a raft of green policy proposals, including upgrading insulation in all existing homes by 2030 and ensuring all new builds are “eco friendly”.
Other measures include investing to get 80% of the UK’s electricity from green energy by 2030, and creating a £20bn Clean Air Fund to create walking and cycling routes to schools, and investment in pollution-free public transport.
The King and Queen have arrived at St Paul’s Cathedral in central London for a service of dedication for the Order of the British Empire.
Established by King George V in 1917 to reward outstanding contributions to the war effort – it now recognises the work of people from all walks of life.
Pic: PA
Around 2,000 people who are holders of the royal honours such as MBEs and OBEs – from the UK and Commonwealth – formed part of the congregation.
The King is the Sovereign of the Order of the British Empire, and the Queen is the Grand Master of the Order of the British Empire.
Pic: PA
It comes after the King carried out his first investiture in five months – and his first since his cancer diagnosis – at Windsor Castle yesterday.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who conducted the service for the coronation, was one of the 52 recipients of an investiture – and was given the Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order.
Awards of the Royal Victorian Order are in the King’s gift and are bestowed independently of Downing Street to people who have served the monarch or the Royal Family in a personal way.
He said the King seemed in “very good spirits indeed” and was “looking very well” as they spoke during the ceremony.
The monarch, who is receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, was given permission by his doctors to return to public duties last month.
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Dean of Westminster Abbey Dr David Hoyle was among the other people honoured at the ceremony, as he was made a Knight Commander for his own role in the coronation.
He revealed there were plans for a building in the King’s honour to be built on the side of Westminster Abbey.
“We have already done the archaeology, so the site is prepared. We have plans which the King has seen. We hope we might have it built in the next two to three years,” he said.
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The King has invested a handful of people with honours over the past few months.
However, these ceremonies took place in private during individual audiences at royal residences.
UK
‘If I go, I know they will detain me’: Asylum seekers consider skipping Home Office meetings over Rwanda fears
In June 2022, Kidus, 30, from Eritrea, came to the UK in a small boat with around two dozen other people.
He still has the video on his phone showing everyone – including some women and children – clinging on to the dinghy wearing identical red lifejackets.
Back then, the government had already announced plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Despite being sent a letter warning he’s being considered for removal, he’s never thought it could really happen until now.
Kidus – not his real name – says before he left France, one of the people smugglers reassured him the government wouldn’t go through with it: the Rwanda policy simply wouldn’t affect him.
But earlier this month, one of his friends from Eritrea, who was on the same boat across the Channel, was detained when attending a routine appointment with the Home Office at a site in Liverpool.
As a result, Kidus is now considering not going to his next fortnightly meeting, even though attending the appointments is a condition of his immigration bail.
“If I didn’t go there, I know they’ll drop my case,” he tells us, concerned his asylum application will be cancelled.
But he adds: “If I go I know they will detain me. So, I’m just confused what I’m going to do.”
Kidus says he fears being deported to Rwanda
A document drawn up by Home Office officials revealed only 2,143 of the 5,700 asylum seekers Rwanda has agreed to accept actually attend check-ins and “can be located for detention”.
If people like Kidus stop attending, they will join the remaining 3,557 migrants who are currently missing.
The shared house Kidus lives in is paid for by the Home Office – so his address makes it almost impossible to disappear. But this means he knows he could be detained at any time.
“I’m always just frightened here. So, they might come at night or day and I’m always thinking that they’ll come and they’ll take me to detention. I’m not feeling safe here,” he says.
Kidus has stopped attending college where he was learning English and carries the phone numbers of legal firms with him at all times.
He speaks to his friend on the phone – who is now being held in a detention centre near Heathrow.
Nahom, not his real name, 26, estimates he’s among around 40 asylum seekers there who’ve been told they’ll be sent to Rwanda.
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“It’s like a nightmare, it’s like a prison and I don’t like it here. I’m really stressed and panicked about the situation,” Nahom tells us from the site almost 100 miles away.
He admits he has been able to meet his solicitor but says he’s feeling increasingly desperate about being faced with the prospect of being sent to Rwanda.
“They can send my body, but not me alive,” he says. “I’m just giving up.”
In west London, we meet Nura, in her 20s, whose real name is withheld and who has made the decision to keep attending meetings with the Home Office because she doesn’t want to be kicked out of her taxpayer-funded hotel.
Nura says she will keep going to the appointments
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But each time she goes to sign in she’s terrified of being detained.
“Sometimes I say ‘why me’?” she asks tearfully, looking at her “notice of intent” letter warning her she’s being considered for removal to Rwanda.
“It’s not a safe country,” she adds. “What is the difference from Eritrea? It’s the same.”
Nura says when she came to the UK by small boat, she believed women wouldn’t be sent to Rwanda. She says she wouldn’t have come if she’d known she was at risk.
The notice of intent letter
Kidus says the same thing: “If I’d have known this I’d have never come here.” He added he’d have instead gone to “Belgium or France, or Germany maybe”.
Now they’re here, their only hope is they won’t be chosen for detention.
The government remains determined to get the first flights to Rwanda within weeks.
Ahead of a general election, the plan has become a clear dividing line between the Conservatives and Labour, which has vowed to scrap the scheme if it comes to power.
Teachers in English schools will not be allowed to teach children that they can change their gender identity, according to reports.
Age limits are also set to be imposed for the first time on when children can be taught sex education.
The Times reports that education ministers will warn schools in England today that gender identity is “highly contested” and that teaching the issue could have “damaging implications”.
If asked, school staff should teach the “biological facts” about sex, the government will say, The Times adds.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has become concerned gender identity is becoming “embedded” in schools as an uncontested fact, the newspaper says.
Under other proposals, schools will be told not to teach children any form of sex education until year 5, when pupils are aged nine.
The plans will also rule out any explicit conversations about sex until the age of 13, The Times report also says.
Thirteen would also be the age threshold for pupils to be taught about contraception, sexually transmitted infections, and abortion.
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The new guidance is reportedly part of the government’s response to concerns children are receiving age-inappropriate relationships, sex and health education (RSHE).
Schools will reportedly be required to provide parents with samples of the material their children will be taught.
RSHE became compulsory in all English schools in September 2020.
The existing guidance outlines broad lesson modules, stating primary school children should be taught about alternative types of families and healthy relationships.
Secondary-school-aged children are taught more complex topics, including puberty, sexual relationships, consent, unsafe relationships, and online harms.
The Department for Education said it could not confirm the newspaper reports, and that it would not speculate on leaks.
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