By Paul Homewood
The idea that John Penrose might have offered an objective assessment of Net Zero policies was always an absurdity:
Today, we are launching a cross-party and cross-industry commission to explore how the United Kingdom can reach net zero without undermining the competitiveness of British industry.
We are a cross-party group, which means we follow the proud tradition of pursuing climate action by consensus. From introducing the 2008 Climate Change Act, to being the first developed nation to put the net zero transition into law in 2019, as well as hosting COP26, successive governments of all political stripes have sought to lead international action to tackle climate change.
But reaching our net zero goals requires more than summits and legislation – it requires rapid changes across the whole economy, which poses potential challenges as well as opportunities. We must make the transition at a minimum cost to society, the economy, and the public purse.
No, John, the only way to save our industrial communities is to drop Net Zero in its entirety.