Ministers Told To Rewrite Climate Emergency Plan

Judge condemns net zero policy as UK braces for record heat

- Andrew Woodcock

Ministers failed to outline how their net zero strategy will achieve emissions targets, a court ruled yesterday, on the day Britain sweltered under its first ever extreme heat alert as temperatures exceeded 38C. Government proposals for meeting targets were too vague for it to claim that it was on track to fulfil its promises on global warming, the high court said. Detailed analysis was omitted even though “it is plain from the evidence before the court that the information existed at the time”, Mr Justice Holgate concluded. The embarrassing setback came as MPs warned of a “major hole at the centre of government” over the resilience of critical national infrastructure to cope with climate change.

Ministers failed to outline exactly how their net zero strategy will achieve emissions targets, a court ruled yesterday – dealing the government’s climate change credentials a serious blow on the day Britain sweltered under its first ever red extreme temperature alert.

Proposals for meeting emission targets were too vague for business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng to claim in parliament that the government was on track to fulfil its global warming promises, the High Court said.

Detailed analysis was omitted from the strategy even though “it is plain from the evidence before the court that the information existed at the time”, Mr Justice Holgate concluded.