Reform UK Councils Lead UK Climate Target Rollbacks

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has called for councils under his party's control to abandon their climate emergency and net zero targets, criticizing them as "virtue-signalling" and a waste of time and resources. Since 2019, many local authorities in Britain committed to ambitious carbon-neutral goals, often aiming for 2030 instead of the national 2050 deadline, but Farage argues that these targets are not the responsibility of county councils and scrapping them would have no significant impact on global climate change. Several Reform-led councils, including Kent, Lincolnshire, and Derbyshire, have already begun rolling back climate initiatives, such as slashing net zero budgets and disbanding climate committees, while West Northamptonshire Council plans to scrap its net zero targets despite concerns about reputational damage and potential adverse effects on vulnerable communities. Critics, including opposition parties and environmental advocates, warn that abandoning these commitments undermines efforts to combat climate change and disproportionately affects poorer communities. Meanwhile, Labour's Ed Miliband is preparing to address Parliament on the climate crisis, emphasizing the urgency of action in light of a new Met Office report warning of extreme weather impacts on the UK. The debate highlights a growing political divide over local government roles and responsibilities in addressing climate change.