LONDON (Reuters) -Britain could lose its position as a leader in the global net zero race and is lagging behind due to a lack of vision when it comes to decarbonisation, former British energy minister Chris Skidmore said on Wednesday.
“(The government is) missing a massive opportunity to be able to set out a vision … for what the future of Britain could be,” he said in an interview at the Reuters IMPACT conference.
“We are in this global net zero race, we have been climate leaders in the past, we’re about to lose that leadership,” he said.
“Jobs will go abroad, your companies will relocate elsewhere, investment decisions will not come to the UK. There is no free rider opportunities in net zero. It’s only by leading you demonstrate market advantage.”
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s record on environmental issues has come under scrutiny lately after he said he would take a “proportionate approach” to climate change that balances net zero ambitions with the need to keep consumers’ bills down.
In 2019, the government set a 2050 net zero carbon emissions target and was quick to build up its renewable energy capacity, but since then there has been some alarm from lawmakers over Sunak’s perceived backsliding on some environmental issues.
Asked if Sunak should attend the COP28 climate summit in person to help Britain hold onto its net zero leadership, Skidmore said it was policy outcomes which were the most important thing.
“Yes, it’s nice if we can have a prime minister turn up, but I don’t think it’s essential,” he said.
To view the live broadcast of the Road to COP Stage go to the Reuters IMPACT news page:
(Reporting by William James and Sachin Ravikumar, writing by Muvija M; editing by Sarah Young)
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