“By 2030, we will have made lots of progress – we won’t get to, on current trajectory, Net Zero in London. We will get there for the GLA group, which is a big achievement considering where we started.
“What I’d like is more devolution.
“The grid has got to change – a lot of the problems we are having are because the grid relies on fossil fuels. If we can change that, the opportunities are huge.
“We’ve also got to retrofit buildings – we can’t give people renewables (in new buildings) and cheaper bills but then let it all out again.”
Sir Sadiq first made his 2030 net zero promise six years ago when campaigning to be re-elected for his second term in office. It is far more ambitious than the current or previous government, both of whom have set a target date of 2050.
Green Party leader Zack Polanski (Yui Mok/PA)
PA Wire
Mr Polanski later told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “We need to be honest about the scale of the challenge London still faces from the climate crisis. The Mayor is right to say London isn’t on course for net zero by 2030, we should be targeting more effort at that now. And this should be non-negotiable. Climate science doesn’t care about politics.
“There are so many other benefits London could have from the investment we need – cheaper energy, cooler homes and better transport. The Government should be supporting cities to get on and invest in tackling climate change.”
Asked further about realistic targets for London in the coming year, Sir Sadiq said he would give Londoners the “tools” they need to reduce their bills and keep pushing a mass retrofitting programme in the capital.
The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government were contacted for comment.
