Commons Committee proposes scrapping the term 'net zero'

Thu 17 September 2026 View all news

The Energy Security and Net Zero (ESNZ) Committee says that the term 'net zero' has become toxic in the UK and that advocates for climate action should reframe it to help build political support for effective action.

The Committee says that the political consensus that enabled the UK to be a world leader in tackling climate change and transitioning to clean energy has broken down because of the gas price shock and the acute cost of living pressures. The MPs say that these pressures have led to the 'scapegoating' of the transition rather than the fossil fuel dependence that has caused the crisis.

The report says "the term net zero has become a distraction from the broader aims and the benefits of the energy transition and the politics of the energy transition have become mired in a stale debate on the cost and feasibility of achieving an emissions target". It adds that the public debate fails to reflect the wider benefits of engaging with the transition or the costs of not tackling climate change.

The Committee proposes a radical overhaul of communications around the energy transition while also ensuring that the benefits of the transition are more directly experienced by those being asked to make changes.

Communications around the energy transition should focus on the "tangible, everyday benefits such as lower bills, warmer homes, jobs and career opportunities for young people, energy security and health improvements".

The Committee says that Government messaging also needs to connect the energy transition with wider national goals such as improving public health and buttressing national security.

It says that the Department should drop ‘net zero’ from its name as a start to making its communications less technocratic and reduce its use in regular communications and public statements, instead focussing on wider societal benefits.

In addition to the messaging, transition advocates should also pay more attention to the messengers: "We have been told that scientists, local actors, and civil society organisations are more trusted sources [than the Government] and should be more effectively utilised".

The Committee concludes that the the Government needs to work hard to maintain public support for the energy transition and makes several other key recommendations:

  • Tackle the rise of misinformation about climate and the energy transition and link communications to recent geopolitical events which have made energy security one of the strongest arguments for accelerating the transition.

  • Use evidence from recent heatwaves to communicate the health impacts of climate change more clearly.

  • Work with farming organisations to communicate how climate action supports long-term food security.

  • Deal with legitimate concerns about costs, fairness and inconvenience.

  • Establish a civil society partnership body to strengthen trusted voices on climate and energy.

  • Task the national academies to raise their profile with the nation at large and develop a dedicated strategy to engage SMEs in the energy transition.

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