Since the Labour Party came into power in the United Kingdom in July 2024, there has been a major change in the government’s approach to energy. The U.K. is now rapidly transitioning away from fossil fuels towards green alternatives, with ambitious climate goals set for the end of the decade and mid-century. Ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil this month, Prime Minister Kier Starmer reaffirmed his commitment to creating a green economy, while the U.K. energy minister Ed Miliband said we must not give up on tackling global warming.

In 2019, the U.K. announced the target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The government later outlined how it plans to achieve this goal in its 2025 Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan.

Energy-related emissions contributed 81 percent of all U.K. emissions in 2023, which came from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and heat for industry and buildings, as well as for transport. While energy supply and industry-related emissions have fallen 76 percent and 60 percent, respectively, since the 1990s, emissions from buildings and transport decreased modestly, by 33 percent and 15 percent, respectively. However, the government has set ambitious targets for its renewable energy capacity over the coming decade.

Wind power is the dominant source of renewable energy in the U.K., contributing 30 percent of the electricity supply in 2023. There is currently 15 GW of offshore wind capacity, which the government aims to increase to between 43 and 50 GW by 2030. It also aims to raise onshore wind capacity from 15 GW to between 27 and 29 GW, and solar power from 16 GW to between 45 and 47 GW by 2030. There are also ambitious plans to expand the country’s battery storage capacity, as well as the green hydrogen and sustainable fuels industries.

The Labour government has backtracked on the former Conservative government’s commitments to oil and gas in favour of clean energy sources since 2024, including renewable energy and nuclear power. While this has pleased environmentalists, the fossil fuel industry and other critics have said this rapid shift away from fossil fuels could harm the economy.

Ahead of the COP30 climate summit this month, Starmer vowed to tackle the climate crisis, saying that transitioning to a low-carbon economy will cut bills, improve economic growth, and bring national renewal. Starmer said, “Britain isn’t waiting to act – we’re leading the way, as we promised. Clean energy doesn’t just mean energy security, so Putin can’t put his boot on our throat: it means lower bills for working families in every part of the UK.”

The U.K. Prime Minister is expected to announce new investments in the low-carbon economy, directed at improving economic growth, as well as encourage greater investment in the U.K. market at COP30. Much like was seen in the United States in the Biden era, the U.K. green economy has been growing three times faster than other sectors, thanks to the government’s commitment to a green transition.

“Critics who say climate action cannot boost the economy are completely wrong,” said Starmer. “This government has already brought in £50 billion of investment in clean energy since the election, with more to come – delivering jobs and opportunities now, and for generations to come. That is national renewal.”

Meanwhile, this month, energy minister Ed Miliband spoke of the importance of tackling climate change. “We’re not going to give up, and the progress that we’ve already made should give us heart,” he said. “Giving up would be a total betrayal. Defeatism never took a single of a fraction of a degree of global warming. It never created a single job. It never did anything.”

As the international community falls behind on its aims to limit global warming, Miliband provided words of encouragement to the community, as well as to members of his party. “We’ve got to be the bearers of hope,” said Miliband. “We can fight back. Climate is a strength [in the battle against hard-right populism], not a weakness. We’re about giving a better future for people’s kids and grandkids.”

This perspective is supported by the significant change in international energy trends, with renewable energy attracting around double the global investment of fossil fuels. In addition, some of the world’s biggest carbon emitters, such as China and India, are investing heavily in the expansion of their renewable energy capacity.

In the U.K., Miliband has been vocal about the need to support a green transition to ensure the future of the country’s energy security and tackle climate change. When Labour came into power in July 2024, Miliband responded to the opposition by stating, “We will make tough decisions with ambition and urgency – all part of our plan to make the U.K. a clean energy superpower.”

The energy minister has since doubled down on decisions to develop several wide-scale renewable energy projects across the U.K. after years of delays under the Conservative government, making his stance on the green transition crystal clear.

Having introduced ambitious climate targets for the next decade and developed a roadmap to accomplish these goals, the U.K. is stepping into COP30 as one of the world’s renewable energy leaders. Starmer will likely seek out higher levels of private investment in U.K. green energy and cleantech from other world powers. However, to demonstrate the country’s dedication to the global battle against climate change, he must commit to supporting an international, and not just a domestic, green transition.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

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