Businesses and trade bodies have said they “need certainty” to plan for the future and urged the Prime Minister to “think again”, as the Government reportedly prepares to water down some environmental targets.
She said that the move towards a sustainable economy holds opportunities for businesses, but they need certainty to plan for it. Chris Norbury, the UK boss of German energy giant E.On, said that Rishi Sunak would be taking a “mis-step” if he went ahead with plans. But Mr Norbury said: “There is no ‘green vs cheap’ debate, it’s a false argument that only serves to delay the vital work of transforming our economy – work that creates more affordable and secure energy while also boosting jobs and skills, often in the areas of the country most at risk of being left behind.
“Net zero is an opportunity to transform our economy and the lives of people across the country and the Government needs to think again before abandoning our climate commitments for this decade.” “As briefed, I can see nothing in this speech that helps people, or which truly engages with the challenges of the transition , as opposed to policies which would help reduce costs for households,” she said.“But the politics is the thing for me – playing politics with net zero isn’t prudent: The future British economy, household prosperity, rest on clarity and ambition.”