Threat to 12,000 job opportunities if county council scraps Net Zero strategy

County council chiefs are due to ratify a decision today that will put 12,000 jobs at risk and could wipe £1.2 billion off Lincolnshire’s economy, according to Lincoln Climate Commission.

The council’s Environment Scrutiny Committee has already agreed to scrap Net Zero targets as it replaces the Green Masterplan, introduced before Reform took over the authority, with a new strategy.

The new Environment Policy is due to be endorsed at a meeting of the full council this morning, but the Commission is urging councillors to rethink or risk shattering the council’s green economy.

“Lincolnshire County Council's proposed new Environment Policy removes the county's commitment to net zero by 2050, explicitly opposes solar farms, wind turbines and electricity pylons, and has been accompanied by its council leader publicly campaigning against renewable energy infrastructure and its mayor advocating for fracking,” explained the Commission.

“The Lincoln Climate Commission believes this combination of positions represents a fundamental change of direction — and that its economic consequences are the same regardless of what the programme is called. Reform UK has cited figures of up to £225 billion to claim that net zero is unaffordable. The independent analysts whose work was used to generate that figure have publicly rejected this as a misrepresentation. 

“In reality, the net cost is less than £70 per person per year (less than 20p per day). The county's existing green economy already employs 12,000 people and generates £1.2 billion annually. That investment is now at risk.

“The Council has said that most of the principles behind the Green Masterplan will stay the same and that it will continue carbon reduction work where it can show value for money. The Commission agrees that public money must be spent carefully. 

“However, it argues that removing the net zero target changes the direction of travel. A clear long-term goal gives businesses and investors confidence. Without it, Lincolnshire risks looking uncertain at a time when other areas are competing strongly for clean energy investment.”

Simon Croxton, Chair of the Lincoln Climate Commission added: “The question is not whether the Green Masterplan is renamed. The question is whether Lincolnshire positions itself to benefit from one of the largest industrial transformations of our generation. Removing the net zero 2050 target sends a signal to investors that the county is stepping back from that opportunity.”

The Commission is calling on the county council to retain a clear long term carbon reduction target in line with national law and to ensure that reviewing the Green Masterplan does not mean stepping back from supporting renewable energy and green jobs in Lincolnshire.

The meeting at 10.30am can be watched via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYKDF-XXFJY