UK PM Rishi Sunak softens policies aimed at achieving net zero carbon emissions

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on Wednesday (September 20), said that Britain will soften the policies that were aimed at achieving net zero carbon emissions by the year 2050 and will instead follow a "pragmatic" approach to reach the set target.

''I'm confident that we can adopt a more pragmatic, proportionate and realistic approach to meeting net zero that eases the burdens on working people. And that's the second part of our new approach. Now, I'm not saying there will be no hard choices and nor am I abandoning any of our targets and commitments. I am unequivocal that we will meet our international agreements, including the critical promises in Paris and Glasgow, to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees," Sunak said during a press conference.

He further announced that a ban on petrol and diesel cars would be pushed from 2030 to 2035.

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"I'm announcing today that we're going to ease the transition to electric vehicles. You'll still be able to buy petrol and diesel cars and vans until 2035. Even after that, you'll still be able to buy and sell them second-hand. We're aligning our approach with countries like Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Australia, Canada, Sweden and the US States such as California, New York and Massachusetts," he said.

"If we continue down this path, we risk losing the British people and the resulting backlash would not just be against specific policies, but against the wider mission itself," the UK PM told a press conference.

He further announced an ease in the speed of transition to heat pumps from gas boilers in homes claiming that he wouldn't compell any household to improve their insulation.

Sunak then emphasisedthe fact that "no one can doubt" the reality of climate change and said that he believes in net zero and the UK's ability to achieve the net zero target.

He however added that "too often motivated by short-term thinking, politicians have taken the easy way out, telling people the bits they want to hear, and not necessarily always the bits they need to hear."

"We haven't had an honest conversation about these issues in a long time. It's not enough to just announce these targets -- great headlines in the short term -- to will this thing to happen. That's not right," he said.

The UK had the freedom to ease targets as it had achieved "the fastest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the G7", he asserted.

(With inputs from agencies)

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