06 Feb UK relaunches the Net Zero Council to support the transition to a greener future
The UK Government has reintroduced the Net Zero Council, aimed at strengthening the UK’s clean energy transition and enhancing economic growth by bringing industry leaders from the public and private industries together in partnership. The Net Zero Council was originally introduced by the previous Government in 2023, under the leadership of Energy Minister Graham Stuart.
The new Council will be led together by Energy and Net-Zero Secretary Ed Milliband and the Co-operative Group’s CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq. With the launch, the Council will prioritise three key areas: providing expert advice on government net-zero strategies, supporting decarbonisation in high-emission industries and collaborating with the extended business community to engage and promote climate leadership.
The initiative includes core representatives from major businesses, trade unions and non-profits such as WWD, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Siemens. The Energy and Net-Zero Secretary, Ed Milliband, explains that businesses and leaders nationwide recognise that clean energy and moving towards net-zero represents the biggest economic opportunity today. Milliband emphasises that it is a move that will protect customers from spiralling costs, generate new jobs and tackle the climate challenge. The Council prioritises mission-focused leadership, bringing together the expertise and ideas from Government, businesses and communities to turn goals into decisive action.
The first council meeting focused on delivering priorities for the coming year, focusing on delivering a sector-specific roadmap to support businesses manage their transition to net zero. The UK Government has been instructed by the High Court to update its overall net-zero strategy with additional plans for emissions reductions in each industry.
Furthermore, the Council will focus on supporting small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in decarbonising operations while ensuring the benefits of the shift towards clean energy are impacting all industries. Another core element of the Council plans will be to support Government efforts to work with the public in the move towards net zero. Council representatives will focus on strategies to educate and involve the public, ensuring the transition to a greener future is fair and inclusive.
A Delivery Group will manage the Council’s workstreams, ensuring all measures are implemented effectively and that there is clear progress made towards net-zero goals. Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy explains that relaunching the Net Zero Council has started at a critical time for the UK’s clean energy future. Bringing leaders from business, finance, and civil society is vital in accelerating net-zero goals, supporting economic growth and generating thousands of new jobs.
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