Budget does little to meet UK’s net zero carbon goals, say campaigners

The government’s latest budget will do little to meet the UK’s net zero carbon goals, missed opportunities to create a green economy, and would saddle households with high energy bills driven by fossil fuel prices, green campaigners and experts have said.

Jeremy Hunt, chancellor of the exchequer, was a self-styled “green Tory” as a backbencher, and in his speech gave a nod towards the UK’s green ambitions with a boost for nuclear power and for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.

But missing from the budget was any hint of the hoped-for focus on home insulation, any strengthening of the windfall tax on record oil and gas profits, or removal of the barriers to onshore windfarms.

Instead, the continuing freeze on fuel duty will benefit drivers of fuel-guzzling SUVs, and would leave the UK on the starting blocks while other countries – including the US, the EU and China – are racing ahead in creating green jobs, analysts said.

Luke Murphy, associate director for energy and climate at the IPPR thinktank, said: “There is a global race to the top in reaching net…