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UK efforts to deal with energy crisis ‘raise risk of missing net zero target’
(The Guardian, 1 Mar 2023) Absence of long-term plan could deter investors or lead them to increase prices, says National Audit Office.
Ministers’ efforts to tackle the energy bills crisis have left the UK at risk of missing a key target to source green power and are threatening the country’s net zero goal, the government spending watchdog has said.
The government said in 2021 it wanted all electricity to be generated from low-carbon sources by 2035, a pillar in the plan to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.
However, the National Audit Office (NAO) warned on Wednesday that the energy crisis which began in late 2021 and was exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has meant the government has made little progress in producing a “long-term delivery plan” to boost clean energy sources.
The NAO warned that “the absence of a clear plan and the perception that there could be changes in government policies could deter external investors from providing funds for new infrastructure or lead them to increase the rates of return they require, ultimately increasing costs for energy consumers”.
The Guardian, 1 Mar 2023: UK efforts to deal with energy crisis ‘raise risk of missing net zero target’
