UK has a new Net Zero Council
The newly expanded Net Zero Council, whichbrings together businesses, trade unions, local authorities, investors, andother public and private stakeholders, met for the first time this month todevelop strategies for accelerating the UK’s clean energy transition.
Originally launched in 2023 by formerenergy minister Graham Stuart, the Council has since been restructured. It isnow co-chaired by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Co-operative Group CEOShirine Khoury-Haq, with new members such as the Local Government Associationand Design Council.
The Department for Energy Security and NetZero said the expanded membership “strengthens the Council’s ability to unlockthe opportunities of decarbonisation” while supporting thousands of green jobs.
In the next two years, the Council willfocus on advising government policy, helping small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) decarbonise, contributing to sector-specific roadmaps, and improvingpublic engagement. A newly established delivery group will oversee workstreamsto ensure progress.
Energy secretary Ed Miliband said:“Businesses and leaders across our country recognise that clean power andaccelerating towards net zero represents the economic opportunity of the 21stcentury.
By working in partnership, we can drive theinvestment, innovation and industrial transformation needed to make the UK aclean energy superpower.”
Solar’s impact
This follows the recent relaunchof the UK Solar Taskforce in October 2024, which also convened for thefirst time to outline how the country can significantly scale up its solarcapacity.
The Taskforce, co-chaired by Miliband andChris Hewett, CEO of Solar Energy UK, aims to support the sector’s rapid growthby addressing key barriers such as grid access, planning challenges, and skillsshortages.
Together, the efforts of the Net ZeroCouncil and Solar Taskforce signals renewed focus from the government onaccelerating the development of clean energy infrastructure.