New Net Zero target will need new nuclear

The government should end the delays and green light nuclear new build projects if it wants to hit ambitious new targets for reducing carbon emissions, Prospect has warned.

Prospect, which represents thousands of energy and environmental workers, was responding to the government’s pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 68% by 2030 compared to the 1990 baseline.

This is an acceleration on the previous timetable and would require rapid action to reduce emissions.

Prospect senior deputy general secretary Sue Ferns said:

“It is welcome that the government are committing to ambitious decarbonisation targets, but so far that scale of ambition has not been matched by policy action and resources, as the National Audit Office underscored in its new report on net zero today.

“The simple truth is that to hit these targets we need to use existing proven technologies to decarbonise our energy supply, that means ending the dithering and indecision and investing now in a new generation of nuclear power.”