The Uncomfortable Truth About the UK’s Climate Policies

Not so long ago, the UK government could brag about its climate credentials. In 2019, Prime Minister Theresa May pledged the country to reach net zero by 2050—the first major economy to legally commit to eradicating its emissions. The UK’s early embrace of renewables also saw it cut emissions more quickly and rapidly than other major economies, and it has now slashed its emissions in half compared with 1990 levels.

But as of late, the UK’s bragging rights are looking shaky. Under current prime minister Rishi Sunak, the government has signaled a willingness to roll back green pledges and drag climate policy into the culture wars. In its latest report to Parliament, the Climate Change Committee, which advises the government on climate policy, warned that the UK was in danger of losing its position as a climate leader.

For six years, Chris Stark has been CEO of the Climate Change Committee and the UK’s top adviser on climate change. As he steps down from the role, he spoke to WIRED about the UK’s shift away from climate leadership, his fears about the polarization around climate change, and the role he thinks oil and gas companies might play in a net zero future.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Matt Reynolds: In the six years you’ve been CEO of the Climate Change Committee, the UK has had four different prime ministers. How much does the person in charge matter when it comes to climate change policy?

Chris Stark: It’s massively important, though it’s often not the explicit leadership that matters. To tackle climate change we’ve got to have something that spreads right across all the arms of the government.

If you know that the person at the top of government wants that policy to be focused on climate, everything just gets a bit easier. I imagine this as a set of strings held by the person at the top. It’s much easier if they’re pulling them up.

So if you’re working on housing policy and there’s something at the margins about whether you do something that helps emissions, or you do something that helps one of the other priorities, then knowing that the boss wants progress on climate really matters.

Has government enthusiasm for bold climate