TADEAS:
Factcheck: Kemi Badenoch’s claim that net zero is ‘impossible’ by 2050 | Kemi Badenoch | The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/mar/19/factcheck-kemi-badenoch-conservative-leader-claim-that-net-zero-is-impossible-by-2050The Conservative party leader, Kemi Badenoch, officially ditched net zero by 2050 as a Tory policy this week. The target was signed into law in June 2019 by her predecessor Theresa May, the then prime minister. So what arguments did Badenoch make for reversing?
Analysis by the London School of Economics has found that, though reaching net zero by 2050 initially costs between 1% and 2% of GDP a year, it will save money by about 2040. To put that into context, the UK spends about 11% of GDP on healthcare, and 10% on social security including pensions. The money spent on reaching net zero is also an investment, according to the most recent carbon budget; for example, upgrading the electricity grid or updating homes.
A former minister made this point in parliament in 2022: “Our latest estimates put the costs of net zero at under 2% of GDP – broadly similar to when we legislated for it two years ago – with scope for costs of low-carbon technologies to fall faster than expected.” Wise words from Badenoch herself.
The Office for Budget Responsibility has analysed the Climate Change Committee’s plans and found: “From 2040 onwards, net operating savings are projected to outweigh investment costs. And by 2050, the CCC projects a £19bn annual saving relative to its baseline emissions scenario.” If similar savings of the same size continued in the years beyond 2050, investment costs would be completely offset by 2070. The same report found “unmitigated climate change would ultimately have catastrophic economic and fiscal consequences for the UK”.