{"id":992113,"date":"2026-05-29T11:16:22","date_gmt":"2026-05-29T11:16:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/992113\/"},"modified":"2026-05-29T11:16:22","modified_gmt":"2026-05-29T11:16:22","slug":"london-set-to-fall-short-of-net-zero-2030-goal-khan-admits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/992113\/","title":{"rendered":"London set to fall short of ‘net zero’ 2030 goal, Khan admits"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mayor says \u201ca lot of the problems we are having are because the grid relies on fossil fuels\u201d, reports Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"LondonLondon mayor Sadiq Khan (credit Noah Vickers\/LDRS)<\/p>\n

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has called for more devolution over energy policy after admitting the capital will not reach its net zero carbon goal by 2030.<\/p>\n

Sir Sadiq Khan said his policies \u2013 which include the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) and electrifying the bus fleet \u2013 have led to \u201clots of progress\u201d in bringing down carbon emissions in London during his tenure.<\/p>\n

However, he said a lack of direct control over the energy grid \u2013 which still heavily relies on fossil fuels \u2013 means that the 2030 target will probably be missed.<\/p>\n

The bodies he controls through the GLA \u2013 including Transport for London (TfL) and the London Fire Brigade (LFB) \u2013 are on track, however.<\/p>\n

London Assembly member and Green Party leader Zack Polanski had told the mayor that current measures by City Hall were \u201csiloed\u201d from one another, despite being individually beneficial.<\/p>\n

Khan admitted that \u201chis criticism is a fair one\u201d before throwing down the gauntlet to ministers for further devolution.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe funding comes from different pots of money, it\u2019s frustrating,\u201d he told Polanski during Mayor\u2019s Question Time last Thursday (21st).<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we had an integrated settlement, monies devolved to London in one pot, we could have some joined-upness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Under last year\u2019s government spending review, London was officially granted its first-ever \u2018integrated settlement\u2019 spanning from 2026 to 2029. However, the money is tied to hitting certain target outcomes and crucially, does not give the mayor powers over the energy grid within the city itself.<\/p>\n

Khan added: \u201cA simple example \u2013 TfL uses its procurement power to change the market. If you think about the police, fire service, NHS \u2013 the public sector in London has the power to change the market.<\/p>\n

\u201cBy 2030, we will have made lots of progress \u2013 we won\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I\u2019d like is more devolution.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe grid has got to change \u2013 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve also got to retrofit buildings \u2013 we can\u2019t give people renewables [in new buildings] and cheaper bills but then let it all out again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Khan 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.<\/p>\n

Polanski later told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): \u201cWe 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\u2019t 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\u2019t care about politics.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many other benefits London could have from the investment we need \u2013 cheaper energy, cooler homes and better transport. The government should be supporting cities to get on and invest in tackling climate change.\u201d<\/p>\n

Asked further about realistic targets for London in the coming year, Khan said he would give Londoners the \u201ctools\u201d they need to reduce their bills and keep pushing a mass retrofitting programme in the capital.<\/p>\n

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government were contacted for comment.<\/p>\n

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