Environmental organizations Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth have written to the prime minister expressing concern that several major policy decisions facing the government could jeopardize the UK’s net zero commitments if evaluated in isolation rather than for their combined effects.
The groups point to four policy areas under ministerial review: approval of the Rosebank oilfield in the North Sea, expansion of Heathrow airport, potential weakening of electric vehicle sales targets, and cuts to heat pump installation grants. According to analysis presented in their letter, the cumulative emissions from these decisions would total approximately 402 million tonnes of CO2 over the next 25 years—equivalent to the output of 106 coal plants operating for a year—sufficient to prevent the UK from meeting its carbon budgets and net zero objectives.
Doug Parr, chief scientist at Greenpeace, stated that the administration must consider these interconnected decisions carefully, warning against allowing separate government departments to make determinations without accounting for collective climate impacts. The letter specifically highlights the Rosebank drilling proposal, which has faced increased industry pressure following the government’s recent approval of the Jackdaw gasfield. Car manufacturers have also lobbied for relaxed EV mandates that would allow petrol and diesel vehicles to comprise up to half of new sales by 2030, falling short of the current 80% electric target. Additionally, Chancellor John Healey is expected to reduce funding for the boiler upgrade scheme, which subsidizes household conversion from gas boilers to heat pumps.
Imogen Dow, climate lead at Friends of the Earth, argued that rejecting high-carbon expansion plans would enable the UK to build a cleaner and more prosperous society, noting that renewable energy investments have grown faster than the broader economy. A government spokesperson responded by reaffirming commitment to net zero objectives, citing £110 billion in announced clean power investment and record renewable energy auction results over the past two years.
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