Net Zero: Is stricter enforcement needed when it comes to the UK’s emission targets?

Green policy in the UK has seen better weeks.?

Starting with confirmation of the Labour Party abandoning it’s flagship ￡28bn a year green investment pledge, and ending with another potential roll back on green policy by Rishi Sunak’s government. It can feel like advocating for change is fighting a losing battle.?

The ease in which these announcements and changes can be swapped, played and thrown away, forces the question - Is stricter enforcement needed when it comes to the UK’s emission targets??

Ch-Ch-Changes

The dust had just managed to settle on the previous round of green rollbacks before rumours of a second wave came circling.?

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In an attempt to speed up the gas boiler phase out, the government had proposed introducing fines to manufacturers for missing heat pump targets. However, there are now worries these fines could be scrapped.?

The scheme which was due to start in April, would have required manufacturers to match or substitute 4% of their annual gas or oil boiler sales with heat pumps, rising to 6% from April 2025, with ￡3,000 fines for every unit they fall short by.

To combat the effects of any looming fines, companies simply raised the price of their units. Dubbing it the ‘boiler tax’.?

Senior Policy manager at the Association for Decentralised Energy (ADE), Chris Friedler, called the move a “big backwards step on the path to low carbon heating” and wondered what the ‘Plan B’ for transitioning away from gas actually looked like.?

Positive but Flawed

Scrapping the plan, albeit under the guise of saving consumers money from price hikes seems like yet another step in the wrong direction. The scheme seemed inherently flawed to begin with.??

In theory, introducing fines looked like a positive step forward, incentivising manufacturers to prioritise their alternatives to gas.

The issues arise when, in fear of fines, it could lead to heat pumps being installed in homes which aren’t suitable, just to reach targets.

Installing Heat Pumps in unsuitable homes would have a knock on effect for consumer confidence further down the road. Fuelling inefficiency myths and continuing to harm the already stuttering roll out.

Widening the scheme to include products from across the zero emission heating spectrum, instead of keeping the current narrow focus would surely receive a better response and allow for increased installation and less fear of fines.?

Fines could then be reintroduced if there is still an inefficient amount of zero emission products - not just heat pumps installed after these surveys.

￡28bn ‘Green Investment’?

If policy changes have become to be expected from the current powers at be, the government's opposition are also walking the path of confusing, mixed messaging.?

The Labour Party announced their flagship policy back in September 2021, with ￡28 billion to be invested each year into the ‘green’ economy.

After a year, this was dialled back to a goal that would be met halfway through a Labour government. Fast forward to January 2024 and the ￡28bn figure is no longer prominently mentioned by senior MPs.

Now, in February 2024, the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, has axed the policy, blaming ‘a crashed economy’?

Confusing.?

This trend of making positive, green, blockbuster announcements, such as banning gas boilers by 2035 or subsidising heat pumps via the BUS, to later disregard or adapt them beyond recognition isn’t going to regain faith in tackling emissions and the changing climate.

Across the UK, homes have about 22 million boilers that burn fossil fuels and domestic heating contributes around 14% of the UK's carbon emissions.?

Emissions did fall slightly in 2022, by 3.5%, according to the most recent figures, but homes are ranked as one of the biggest emitters.

It still remains that 22 million boilers need to be replaced with zero carbon alternatives.?

A Stern Hand Or Just Consistency??

The UK was warned towards the end of 2023 about losing it’s spot as a ‘key player’ on the climate stage. If there isn’t accountability placed on the loose hand of policy changes then confidence and belief is going to continue to drop and net zero targets left in serious doubt.

Stronger resolve is needed, whether it’s a cross party collaboration or immunity from reactionary price hikes or kickbacks when it comes to zero emission products for the public. The time sensitive nature of tackling climate change means no second chances, if emissions aren’t reduced, there isn’t a ‘better luck next time’ option.?

It’s no place for the games of the political arena

In the UK, 55% of citizens believe they will fail to drastically cut carbon emissions by 2050.?

On the current trajectory, 55% of citizens might be right.?