STORY
Essex County Council’s new Reform UK leadership is facing questions over what it means to cancel the authority’s net zero agenda. Council leader Peter Harris has described net zero as “net stupid zero” and said he was not a scientist when asked about climate change and whether it was caused by human activity.
The move has prompted debate about whether the council is only abandoning emissions targets or whether it will also change wider climate adaptation work. Essex’s existing climate strategy includes measures relating to flooding, coastal erosion, overheating and water shortages, all of which have practical implications for communities across the county.
Supporters of the change argue that councils should focus on immediate public concerns and value for money. Critics say the new administration has not yet explained whether flood resilience, adaptation planning and other practical climate measures will continue, making the policy shift one of the first major tests for Reform’s control of the authority.