‘Revolt’ fears inform UK net zero policies

Fears that the public would “revolt” against strict net zero policies is informing the government’s “pragmatic approach”, energy secretary Claire Coutinho has revealed.

Coutinho said that the government was keeping a close watch on backlashes against European governments’ net zero policies.

Specifically, Coutinho said that recent watering down of climate change policies could help ward off a Dutch-style backlash, where the government was voted out last week in favour of the far right party Geert Wilders.

At a Policy Exchange thinktank in London, the energy security and net zero secretary of state defended government moves to delay the target date for phasing out internal combustion engine vehicle sales to 2035, while also relaxing a requirement for private landlords to upgrade the energy efficiency of their properties.

Coutinho said: “That was to protect people’s household finances at a time when they were really struggling. We were saying you’re not going to have to spend thousands of pounds you might not have but we still retain our very ambitious climate changes.”

And she said that adopting a more pragmatic approach, when the UK is already on track to cut its emissions faster than other equivalent economies, was partly devised to prevent public backlash.

“You’re seeing a revolt against some of the climate change consensus that we’ve got in continental Europe,” Coutinho added.

“It’s really important to understand that the overall emissions targets haven’t changed but it’s important that we are shielding households from the personal costs that they might face.

“And that is the only way that you’re going to maintain what’s going to be a programme of work over decades, that’s the only way you’re going to maintain public support for it.”

Coutinho, speaking ahead of yesterday’s news that applications for Boiler Upgrade Scheme vouchers soared in the wake of Rishi Sunak’s net zero announcement that their value has increased to £7,500, said offering people incentives to go green is working better than mandates.

She also predicted that the recent announcement of an increased strike price for next year’s Contracts for Difference renewables auction should lead to a “good result”, based on discussions with businesses at the government’s Global Investment Summit at St James Palace earlier in the week.