9 May 2026
Repeal Net Zero mandates to unlock housing and energy investment
The news
The British glass industry has warned that 120,000 jobs are at risk due to Ed Miliband's Net Zero levies, as energy bills rise amid ongoing policy pressures. Trade bodies including the Carbon Capture and Storage Association and Hydrogen UK have urged action on industrial decarbonisation, highlighting delays that put billions in UK investment at risk. These groups called for streamlined planning and regulatory processes alongside long-term funding certainty, as the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero committed £9.4 billion over this parliament to carbon capture projects supporting thousands of jobs.
What's at stake
Net Zero policies drive up energy costs, with industrial electricity bills straining competitiveness in sectors like glass manufacturing. The government's British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme, announced in April, aims to reduce these bills, while a carbon border adjustment mechanism seeks to protect affected industries. Delays in electrification, hydrogen, and carbon capture programmes hinder a credible pipeline of investable projects, risking billions in investment across regions like Humber & Lincolnshire, North West, and Teesside.
Planning and regulatory hurdles slow infrastructure delivery, exacerbating high energy prices that have impacted Europe's economy. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has allocated £500 million to the hydrogen industry at the summer Spending Review to bolster energy security and jobs. These commitments underscore the scale of investment needed, yet persistent challenges threaten industrial heartlands and economic growth.
The case for
Reforming planning laws and repealing Net Zero mandates cuts energy costs, enabling faster housing and infrastructure development. This speeds investment in market-based energy policies, unlocking billions currently stalled by regulatory delays and levies that endanger 120,000 jobs in manufacturing. Reforms repair the intergenerational compact by prioritising affordable energy and growth over rigid targets, as seen in calls for streamlined processes to deliver electrification and hydrogen projects without legal bottlenecks.
The case against
Repealing Net Zero mandates weakens climate commitments, risking environmental damage from continued fossil fuel reliance. This could lead to higher long-term costs, as Europe's experience shows renewables like those in Spain lower power prices and reduce dependence on volatile oil and gas. Abandoning decarbonisation delays carbon capture and hydrogen programmes backed by £9.4 billion, undermining jobs in industrial heartlands and the transition to clean energy security.
Why it matters now
If reforms pass, housing and energy investment accelerates via market policies, easing job risks in sectors like glass and boosting billions in delayed projects. Net Zero retention sustains £9.4 billion in carbon capture and £500 million in hydrogen funding, preserving climate goals amid rising bills. The next Spending Review and industrial scheme delivery will shape outcomes in 2026.
Further reading
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