Kemi Badenoch has pledged to repeal the Climate Change Act if the Conservatives win the next election, dismantling the cornerstone of UK green policy and ending decades of cross-party consensus on climate action. The Tory leader said she would replace the act with a 'cheap energy' strategy focused on economic growth, abandoning carbon budgets and the Climate Change Committee.
Badenoch stated: 'Under my leadership we will scrap those failed targets. Our priority now is growth, cheaper energy, and protecting the natural landscapes we all love.' The 2008 act, passed with near-unanimous Conservative support under David Cameron, sets legally binding carbon budgets and has guided UK climate policy across successive governments.
Scientists and experts criticised the plan, noting that fossil fuel dependence caused energy price spikes after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, costing the UK £140bn and forcing £40bn in public subsidies. Bob Ward of the Grantham Research Institute said: 'The claim that keeping Britain dependent on fossil fuels is good for economic growth is demonstrably false.'
Michael Grubb, professor at University College London, added: 'The striking fact is how few UK businesses support scrapping the Climate Change Act. Business values clarity and certainty within a firm legal framework.' James Alexander of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association warned the move would 'send damaging signals to markets, jeopardising jobs, growth and our long-term energy security.'
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband called the announcement 'desperate', while polls show most UK voters still support climate action. Badenoch's vow comes ahead of the Conservative party conference and marks a sharp break from the bipartisan climate consensus that has held since the act's passage.
