“Climate change is real. But Labour’s laws tied us in red tape, loaded us with costs, and did nothing to cut global emissions,” Badenoch said.
The Tory leader has long been critical of climate targets. Earlier this year, she announced plans to ditch the U.K.’s legally-binding 2050 net zero target, as first reported by POLITICO, branding it “impossible.”
The announcement comes amid a fracturing of political consensus on tackling climate change in the U.K., with Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK leading national polls and pledging to scrap net zero policies in their entirety.
The Climate Change Act set out a framework for cutting emissions through five-yearly “carbon budget” targets on the way to hitting net zero 2050. It also created the U.K. climate watchdog, the Climate Change Committee (CCC), which oversees progress in hitting those goals.
It’s unclear whether the CCC would also be scrapped under Conservative plans — but Shadow Energy Minister Andrew Bowie told POLITICO earlier this year that “everything’s on the table.” He also insisted the party is not “chasing” Reform UK voters.
The Tories have pledged to replace the legislation with a policy which prioritises “cheap and reliable” power. The act is “forcing ministers to adopt policies which are making energy more expensive,” added Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho.