The Government has been defeated in the High Court by several environmental groups who claimed that there was not enough action being undertaken to cut greenhouse gases. Campaigners argued that the Energy Minister had signed off on the Government’s climate plan without having the evidence to prove it could be achieved. As a result of the ruling, the Government has been forced to begin the process of redrafting the plan.
This is not the first time the Government has been defeated in the High Court. In 2022 three groups successfully won a case against the Government arguing that the net zero plan was not detailed enough to explain how the UK would cut its emissions, as is required by the Climate Change Act.
Among these High Court defeats the Government has also handed out new fossil fuels contracts much to the anger of environmental campaigners. However, all of this represents many of the problems surrounding the energy transition. The lack of understanding on both sides as well as the lack of a coherent strategy that takes into account both sides, means that the move to net zero is going to be a real problem, as Toni Miszewski explains.
Setback
“This latest setback for the Government’s net zero plans really reflects the issues of moving towards a greener future. There has to be a better understanding between all parties about what the energy transition means and realistically what it will look like. For example, we anticipate that even if we hit our net zero targets then carbon will still play an important role in our everyday lives, up to 20 percent of current levels.
“Equally, many of the barriers that stand in the way of us reaching net zero targets are made up of financial considerations. There is a myth that a whole new set of technology is needed to enable targets to be reached and that the level of investment needed to design and implement the tech means that it is an almost impossible task.
“However, the technology that can make a real impact in our journey to net zero in many cases already exists and could be implemented to allow us to move forward. The lack of collaboration has meant that this is not recognised and even dismissed because the technology is currently implemented in the oil and gas industry.
Hydrogen has a big role to play
“With hydrogen set to play an important role in the energy transition the need for technology to enable the containment of it will be critical. Drilling new underground storage for hydrogen and carbon capture is something that existing technology could easily adapt to and is in some cases already doing so.
“Geothermal energy is another key element of net zero. However, the extremely high temperatures needed to allow geothermal to help with the production of electricity makes it, on the face of things, a difficult task. However, existing technologies can help. The high-temperature electronics currently utilised in the oil and gas industry can be used to monitor geothermal wells, helping to reduce risk and cost.
“The Government’s struggles with its net zero plan highlights the issues surrounding the move to a greener future. A lack of proper strategy and collaboration means that too much of the debate around net zero and the whole energy transition is confrontational and not helpful. By looking at the technology that already exists in the oil and gas industry there is an opportunity to make real strides forward in our move towards a greener future.”
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