My Perspective: Rishi Sunak, Climate Change and Losing Sight of the Long-Term Net Zero Mission

Rishi Sunak’s speech this week was hugely important as it affects all of us. Putting aside the politics and how the communications of the issue were handled, some important parts of his argument have been lost in the noise. Rishi Sunak defended his decision to push back a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035, and to relax the phaseout of new gas boilers. A key takeaway from the PM’s speech is that we must find a middle ground between the two extremes of opinion dividing the country on climate change: those who want to abandon Net Zero altogether and do not accept evidence for climate change, and those who argue that “we must move even faster, and go even further no matter the cost or disruption to people’s lives”.

Costs and Disruption

In the midst of claims that Sunak is aiming to “claw votes by rolling back on environmental commitments” as well as “surrendering to populist politics” (The Telegraph, 20 September 2023), we may be losing sight of the complexity of the green transition, and its cost and potential disruption to individuals and the environment. By forcing people to pay for the transition to heat pumps and the push towards electric vehicles, the government may discourage support for the long-term mission of Net Zero. There is a need for people to be able to afford the alternatives proposed.

Sunak notes that due to the continually high upfront costs of choosing electric vehicles, “at least for now, it should be you the consumer that makes that choice, not government forcing you to do it”. In the current economic climate with the cost of living crisis, high inflation and interest rates, accelerating the transition may not be affordable for all. The FT highlights that “there is a big gap between what British voters want and what British voters are willing to pay for” (FT, 20 September 2023), which is particularly relevant to views on climate change. In terms of the push for electric cars, we should consider the environmental costs of manufacturing and fuelling new electric vehicles and sourcing lithium car batteries from countries such as China and South Korea, where the use of carbon in electricity production is relatively high.

Balance and Alignment

Rishi Sunak rightly weighs the necessity of green targets against the UK’s emissions obligations, outlining that the UK has had “the fastest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the G7. Down almost 50% since 1990. France? 22%. The US? No change at all. China? Up by over 300%”. The government has thus aligned its approach with countries such as Germany, France, Sweden, and US states such as California and New York.

Pragmatism, Not Ideology

We should acknowledge that we have made substantial progress towards tackling climate change relative to other nations, and this change in the UK’s Net Zero commitments reflects “a more pragmatic, proportionate, and realistic approach that eases the burdens on families” against a difficult economic backdrop. Whilst acknowledging the two extremes of opinion dividing the country, this political pivot, or U-turn, is a significant decision that challenges the current thinking on an issue which will continue to impact future generations.

Alicja Cieslik, Research Executive