London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Oct 21, 2025

Boris Johnson’s climate credibility at stake in run-up to Cop26 summit

Boris Johnson’s climate credibility at stake in run-up to Cop26 summit

Campaigners fear net zero strategy is being hamstrung by Rishi Sunak, who refuses to provide adequate funding
Boris Johnson faces a significant test of his leadership before the Cop26 climate summit as the chancellor and business secretary are at war over the imminent plan for reaching net zero carbon dioxide emissions.

The government is poised to publish its long-awaited net zero strategy on Monday, setting out how the UK will meet its targets to cut CO2 emissions by 78% by 2035 and reach net zero by 2050. This will also include the heat and buildings strategy for insulating draughty homes and phasing out gas boilers, along with a massive expansion of offshore wind, and building electric vehicle charging networks.

But green campaigners are concerned that the strategies, put forward by Kwasi Kwarteng are being hamstrung by opposition from Rishi Sunak, who is refusing to provide adequate funding.

Failure to put forward a viable and well-funded blueprint for reaching net zero would destroy the UK’s credibility at a crucial time, campaigners have said, just weeks before the UN Cop26 climate talks, which begin in Glasgow at the end of this month.

Ed Matthew, campaign director at green thinktank E3G, said: “To achieve an ambitious outcome at Cop26, the government has to lead by example. If they don’t have their own house in order on how to reach net zero, how are they going to persuade the rest of the world to get on track? The whole diplomatic strategy is absolutely dependent on having a credible plan in place in the UK.”

Kwarteng has spoken publicly in favour of decarbonising electricity generation by 2035, and is pushing net zero behind the scenes. This is a new departure for the business secretary, who comes from a strongly free-market viewpoint, as one of the authors of Britannia Unchained. But insiders claim the pandemic has changed his outlook, and that he has undergone elements of a “green” conversion – though he is also still intent on licensing new oil and gas in the North Sea.

“With the pandemic and the energy crisis, he is seeing a need for government intervention,” said one close observer. “Energy security is now a key theme, and building renewables can help with that.”

But Sunak, who controls the purse strings, is understood to be strongly opposed to devoting new cash to the climate effort. He was notably silent on the climate, net zero strategy and Cop26 in his speech to the Tory party conference earlier this month.

“It’s astonishing that he did not mention climate change: the single greatest threat the UK economy is facing, and with Cop26 approaching,” said Matthew. “Without the Treasury, we can’t be on track for net zero, because we need not just the policies but investment – this is the litmus test.”

A government source denied any split and told the Guardian: “This is a whole government approach: every department has signed up to net zero and the prime minister is the biggest proponent of this agenda. The preparation of the strategy with the Treasury has been smooth.”

The Treasury is also due to publish on Monday its own net zero findings, in the form of a review that is expected to set out the costs of reaching net zero. The Treasury net zero review is controversial among green experts, as the Guardian understands it will not take account of the many benefits of cutting emissions, including green jobs, lower energy bills and health improvements from cutting air pollution, as well as reducing the impacts of extreme weather.

“It’s as if the Stern review never happened,” said one expert, referring to the landmark 2006 study by climate economist Nicholas Stern, which found the short-term costs of cutting emissions were far outweighed by the economic benefits. “They have stuck to their old pre-Stern models of cost.”

Green campaigners believe the Treasury review will be seized on by climate sceptics in the Tory ranks. They are also concerned that lobbying by the fossil fuel industry has persuaded the government to make hydrogen a leading part of its net zero strategy. That would be a mistake, they argue, as some forms of hydrogen are not low-CO2, but require fossil fuels to be converted into hydrogen and the resulting CO2 stored, in contrast with genuine green hydrogen methods, by which hydrogen is manufactured using renewable energy.

“Hydrogen boilers are greenwash,” said Matthew. “They will massively increase energy bills. If they’re considering hydrogen, that’s a bad sign.”

Kat Kramer, global climate lead at the charity Christian Aid, said: “The government is currently promoting false solutions that effectively subsidise the fossil fuel industry. It is crazy that they plan to use taxpayers’ money to promote hydrogen made from fossil gas rather than renewables, and for capturing carbon from burned fossil fuels and storing it underground.”

A Treasury spokesperson said: “We are absolutely committed to meeting our world-leading climate commitments and the prime minister’s 10-point plan set out £12bn of investment for green industries. “

But they stressed the importance of private sector investment, adding: “Government alone cannot achieve net zero, which is why we are working with the private sector to boost investment and leading the world in green finance.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
DJI Loses Appeal to Remove Pentagon’s ‘Chinese Military Company’ Label
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Australian Prime Minister’s Private Number Exposed Through AI Contact Scraper
×