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Kemi Badenoch and the Climate Change Act

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Kemi Badenoch, leader of the UK Conservative Party, has announced her intention to repeal the Climate Change Act (2008), the legislation that underpins the UK’s legally binding carbon budgets and net zero commitment1. The proposal has triggered widespread concern.  Bob Ward, Policy and Communications Director at the Grantham Research Institute warned “It is disappointing that the Conservatives under Kemi Badenoch’s leadership are aligning themselves with Donald Trump and Nigel Farage by ignoring the science and abandoning any serious effort to stop climate change. The claim that keeping Britain dependent on fossil fuels is good for economic growth is demonstrably false. Our dependence on fossil fuels causes high prices for electricity and heating for businesses and households.”2

 

Former Prime Minister Theresa May echoed these concerns, describing the move as a “catastrophic mistake”, stressing that “while political consensus may be tested, the science remains the same.”3 

 

Against this backdrop, it is vital to revisit what the Climate Change Act is, why it matters, and what its repeal would mean for UK industries, associations, and the communities they serve.

 

What is the Climate Change Act and why is it crucial?

 

The Climate Change Act (CCA) is a flagship piece of legislation introduced by the Labour Government in 2008. It first set out the laws for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050, which in 2019 was strengthened to a net zero target4. The Act holds government accountable for taking the necessary action to reach these goals. Its framework is structured around six parts: carbon budgeting, the Committee on Climate change (CCC), the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), climate change impacts and adaptation, and waste reduction schemes5.

 

The CCA was the first national law in the world aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, inspiring other countries to follow. It provides a clear target with a clear deadline, supported by a roadmap to deliver it. The CCC was set up to ensure that emissions targets are evidence-based and to hold government to account. It also helps assess climate change risks and develop suitable adaptation plans6.

 

As illustrated in Figure 1, since the CCA was founded, UK emissions have more than halved compared with 1990 levels, with the pace of reduction doubling after the Act’s introduction in 20087.

 

Figure 1 - UK historical emissions, the Government's pathway and the UK's targets (2024)8
Figure 1 - UK historical emissions, the Government's pathway and the UK's targets (2024)8

Moreover, the UK has successfully met all of its emissions reduction targets to date, including the most recent Third Carbon Budget (2018 – 2022)9. While much of this progress is linked to the phasing out of coal, it highlights the value of having a long-term framework that drives industries in the right direction.

 

 

A UK without the CCA

 

If Kemi Badenoch and the Conservative Party return to power and she follows through on her promise to repeal the CCA, what would this mean for the climate and industries? As shown in Figure 1, the Act has coincided with a drastic decline in national emissions compared with the 1990 baseline. Removing the Act, and with it the system of legally binding carbon budgets, would risk reversing this trend and could lead to rising emissions.

 

Such a move would also strip away the long-term certainty that industries rely on, disrupting the net zero strategies many companies have already put in place. Ultimately, it would undermine the UK’s long-established competitiveness in the global market.

 

This aligns with the views of Climate Action for Associations (CAFA) which has stated: "Suggesting the repeal of the Climate Change Act would be an inadequate response to the challenges the UK is facing. The UK economy must be durably protected against climate risks, and achieving that requires reaching net zero and demonstrating international leadership. Moreover, UK businesses need regulatory stability over the next decades - they need protection from both short-term 180° turns and long-term exposure to environmental disasters."

 

How likely is this to happen?

 

Current polling suggests the Conservatives have a predicted vote share of just 17.2%, compared with 30.4% for Reform and 21.3% for Labour, making it unlikely that they will return to government10. Public opinion also leans strongly towards climate action: a UK Government survey on attitudes to net zero found that 35% of people are very concerned about climate change, and a further 41% are fairly concerned11. Taken together, these figures suggest that a repeal of the Climate Change Act remains an improbable scenario.

 

A representative of CAFA added: "Rather than repealing essential policy, CAFA advocates instead for improving it to ensure appropriate infrastructure and resources are made available for decarbonisation. However, if such a repeal were to happen, we're confident that businesses would continue to decarbonise thanks to standard setting bodies and cross-sector collaboration, no matter the political noise."

 

Concluding Remarks from CAFA

 

A commitment to repeal the Climate Change Act would mark a decisive shift in the policy landscape. For associations, this is not just a matter of politics, it would directly impact the operating environment of their members. The Act has underpinned investor confidence by shaping regulatory standards and provided long-term certainty for industry planning. Its removal would create immediate uncertainty across sectors, disrupt transition strategies already in motion, and risk undermining the UK’s competitiveness in a global economy that is moving rapidly towards Net Zero.

 

Associations therefore need to consider what such a change could mean for their members, their supply chains, and their future market access, and how best to respond collectively. At CAFA, we encourage associations to engage with their members on how the implications of any significant policy shifts, ensuring that the voices of sectors are heard in shaping a stable and sustainable future.


 About CAFA


Climate Action for Associations (CAFA) is the only dedicated network and resource hub focused on sustainability and net zero for the membership sector. CAFA equips professional bodies and trade associations with the guidance, tools, and peer-to-peer connections they need to take meaningful climate action and support their members in doing the same.


If you're a membership organisation wishing to know more about what you can do to support your members with sustainability and addressing climate risks, join Climate Action for Associations here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





 
 
 

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