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View all search resultsThe net zero revolt has begun
Even if all rich countries were to cut to zero emissions by mid-century, the climate models clearly show that the impact would avert less than 0.1 degree Celsius.
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An employee places an old uniform into a bin provided by Pertamina for its sustainability program, which recycles uniforms into eco-friendly clothing and encourages all Pertamina employees to become sustainability agents to contribute to achieving Indonesia's net-zero goals.
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new pragmatism is infusing the climate debate in the West, driven by voters weary of soaring energy bills and annoyed by increasingly hysteric and patronizing climate rhetoric. From Washington to Westminster, Berlin to Canberra, the political class is confronting a simple truth: aggressive net-zero mandates are delivering present economic pain for unmeasurable and far-off climate gain.
The starting shot might have been the United States election of Donald Trump, but the clearest warning comes from the United Kingdom. The UK’s net-zero law, enacted in 2019, committed the country to zero emissions by 2050. It was hailed as bold leadership, but the reality has been economic sabotage. Industrial electricity prices surged 124 percent between 2019 and 2024, quadruple the US increase, leaving the UK with the highest rates in the western world at 26.63 pence (36.73 US cents) per kilowatt-hour.
And the Labour government’s renewable-heavy plans will only inflate costs further. At a recent parliamentary hearing, top energy executives laid bare the facts. Chris Norbury, CEO of E.On UK, testified that even if wholesale prices were to plummet to zero, consumer bills would remain just as high as today, due to escalating policy-driven expenses.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is reportedly preparing to delay or dilute key green commitments to curb voter revolt.
The UK's plight is no isolated incident, it is a harbinger of a retreat from the global net-zero experiment recently championed by politicians even in blue US states and across Europe, as well as further abroad.
In Australia, the conservative Liberal Party has abandoned the promise of net-zero in 2050, and will instead prioritize lower energy prices. Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi prioritizes nuclear revival for energy security over aggressive renewables.
Even the EU is rolling back environmental laws, watering down sustainable finance rules amid farmer protests and deregulation pushes. Its climate promises for 2040 were watered down and crucially the promises can be further loosened if it, inevitably, ends up having a negative impact on the EU’s economy.
