{"id":421421,"date":"2026-01-15T10:50:17","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T09:50:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=421421"},"modified":"2026-01-15T10:50:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T09:50:20","slug":"net-zero-costs-will-be-worse-than-feared-report-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=421421","title":{"rendered":"Net zero costs will be worse than feared, report finds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reaching 2050 target could exceed even highest official predictions of \u00a37.6tn amid \u2018faulty assumptions\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reaching net zero will cost Britain even more than feared, a report has found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The gross cost to the UK economy of achieving the 2050 target could exceed even the highest official predictions of \u00a37.6tn, an Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) paper said. The Telegraph<\/a> has the story.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report said that previous estimates of the financial impact of net zero<\/a> were based on \u201cfantasy assumptions\u201d of the cost of renewable energy and low-carbon technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lord Frost, the head of the IEA, said the low estimates were also the result of \u201cheroic assumptions\u201d of the cost of household technologies such as heat pumps and electric cars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Turver, the paper author, said: \u201cThe various public bodies responsible for working out the costs of net zero have not been entirely truthful in their analysis. They have made fantasy assumptions about the cost of renewables and low-carbon technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe true cost of net zero is much higher than we have been led to believe. If we are to have a serious debate about net zero, the various public bodies need to be more transparent and frankly more honest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While 60% Britons support net zero, the majority say that the cost of living is a greater priority than reducing carbon emissions<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Government\u2019s approach to reaching net zero has come under increasing scrutiny over the last year, with pressures to go further on green policy from inside Labour. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Monday night, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said it rejected the IEA analysis, which it said ignored the costs of \u201cstaying on the fossil fuel roller-coaster\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In September, the Prime Minister overruled Ed Miliband, the Energy Secretary, by snubbing plans for a\u00a0green energy plant on Teesside<\/a>, and instead endorsing a rival \u201cAI growth zone\u201d development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cabinet row over the decision was seen as a test of Labour\u2019s commitment to its net zero plans, which threaten to clash with hopes of being a world leader in AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer has faced criticism from Donald Trump<\/a> over his approach to green policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In May, the US president called for more\u00a0drilling in the North Sea<\/a>. He also said Britain should \u201cstop with the costly and unsightly windmills\u201d and claimed that energy costs \u201cwould go way down, and fast\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The gross cost to the UK economy of achieving the 2050 target could exceed even the highest official predictions of \u00a37.6tn, an Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) paper said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":421425,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":true,"token":"eyJpbWciOiJodHRwczpcL1wvY2xpbWF0ZS1zY2llbmNlLnByZXNzXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wMVwvQVFQamZkV2RXWjZTRkJRRmxIem5ESEYybnJpRTF1M2gwRmszcWhEVS1sRjVQTXVFZWQxMDVINC1NVUtnZmlXMmpBSFpNZGxpRFRTdGpQTm1fR3p2OHU3Q2NXdHJsbWM2UEpOTG55NEdUQUo0RTBBOElYNEJHb1BNYUg5S2VUb0RmMnlJNFdEZ3RFeGJGSFVMVVhCeWVOcERwSnpsQ1EtMS0xMDI0eDEwMjQuanBlZyIsInR4dCI6Ik5ldCB6ZXJvIGNvc3RzIHdpbGwgYmUgd29yc2UgdGhhbiBmZWFyZWQsIHJlcG9ydCBmaW5kcyIsInRlbXBsYXRlIjoiaGlnaHdheSIsImZvbnQiOiIiLCJibG9nX2lkIjoxNTU4MTI0NDl9.9gUXn9PVCIUt3Hpf_oOtTxZGd4Cu3TcnbqRiKhiYV4AMQ"},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691840727,691840728,691818154,691834849,691819094,691820166],"class_list":["post-421421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-7-trillion-2","tag-low-carbon-technology","tag-net-zero","tag-prime-minister-sir-keir-starmer","tag-renewable-green-energy","tag-uk-economy","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1LD7","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":291565,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=291565","url_meta":{"origin":421421,"position":0},"title":"From 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\u00a3350bn\u2019","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"12\/12\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Slowing the pace of net zero could save the British economy \u00a3350bn, an official report has concluded.","rel":"","context":"In \"electricity bills\"","block_context":{"text":"electricity bills","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=electricity-bills"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMqy9_f6yr67z5k2ltqADcIvC61Pg6nOCDDG-_QoOwtzrezXd9r8ON9BYtYGYyPEtXeOBTIChfsEMPd1R803x9MxouHJL94mGV4FRKxX2R3ZnLrxJZhJSuHCO6tosD30_A1aq06_9foB2Odzr6mnqjWXjHeOA.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AQMqy9_f6yr67z5k2ltqADcIvC61Pg6nOCDDG-_QoOwtzrezXd9r8ON9BYtYGYyPEtXeOBTIChfsEMPd1R803x9MxouHJL94mGV4FRKxX2R3ZnLrxJZhJSuHCO6tosD30_A1aq06_9foB2Odzr6mnqjWXjHeOA.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, 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The research, conducted by the Policy Institute at King's College London, in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"BBC\"","block_context":{"text":"BBC","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=bbc"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-260.png?fit=1188%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-260.png?fit=1188%2C799&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-260.png?fit=1188%2C799&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-260.png?fit=1188%2C799&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-260.png?fit=1188%2C799&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":246899,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=246899","url_meta":{"origin":421421,"position":5},"title":"Feasibility for achieving a net zero economy for the U.S. by 2050","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"03\/05\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The cost to 2050 will comfortably exceed $12T (trillion) for electrification projects and $35T for improving the energy efficiency of buildings, a work-force comparable in size to the health sector will be required for 30 years","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-195.png?fit=1200%2C444&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-195.png?fit=1200%2C444&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-195.png?fit=1200%2C444&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-195.png?fit=1200%2C444&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/image-195.png?fit=1200%2C444&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AQPjfdWdWZ6SFBQFlHznDHF2nriE1u3h0Fk3qhDU-lF5PMuEed105H4-MUKgfiW2jAHZMdliDTStjPNm_Gzv8u7CcWtrlmc6PJNLny4GTAJ4E0A8IX4BGoPMaH9KeToDf2yI4WDgtExbFHULUXByeNpDpJzlCQ-1.jpeg?fit=1280%2C1280&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=421421"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421421\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":421427,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421421\/revisions\/421427"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/421425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=421421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=421421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=421421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}