The mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, has acknowledged that London will not reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, and has urged ministers to hand him greater control over energy policy.
The mayor said that the measures introduced during his time in office, including the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (Ulez) and the electrification of London's buses, have delivered significant cuts to carbon emissions. However, Sir Sadiq admitted that without direct authority over the energy grid, which remains largely dependent on fossil fuels, the 2030 goal was unlikely to be achieved.
This admission came at Mayor's Question Time in May, after Green Party leader, Zack Polanski, said that the City Hall's climate efforts were operating in isolation from one another, despite their individual merits. The mayor accepted this criticism, calling for funding to be pooled rather than being based in multiple different pots, in order to create a more joined-up approach.
Last year's government Spending Review granted London its first Integrated Settlement, running from 2026 to 2029, however the funding is linked to specific outcomes and does not extend the mayor's powers over the energy grid. Sir Sadiq said that the public sector could reshape the market through its purchasing power, adding that buildings would need retrofitting and that grid reform was essential.
The mayor first pledged that London would reach net zero by 2030 six years ago, a target more ambitious than the 2050 deadline set by both the current and previous governments.