Professor Peter Bannister, chair of the IET Sustainability and Net Zero Policy Centre, says Labour has bold plans for the energy sector but they must be part of an integrated climate change strategy.
We want to see government accelerate the delivery of renewables infrastructure, meet the UK’s net zero targets, and strengthen energy security and resilience. The £8.3bn GB Energy investment can contribute to that if it is underpinned by a collaborative whole-systems approach to climate change. That approach must consider generation and transmission infrastructure, energy demand, regulation, skills and the future effects of climate change. This will require delivering substantial changes to how the UK approaches the energy system as well as close work with local, regional and devolved governments.
The net zero secretary’s initial planning reforms and the creation of Mission Control are steps in the right direction. But we need to see a bold cross-departmental net zero strategy that utilises...