UK likely to miss 2035 climate targets: Neso

Britain is on track to miss its 2035 climate targets by a wide margin due to insufficient growth in clean electricity supply, according to the National Energy System Operator (Neso). The forecast shows the country falling short of the pace needed to reach its legally binding 2050 net-zero goal.

As reported by The Guardian, Neso’s 10-year outlook estimates that the UK will emit 274 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (MtCO₂) in 2035. That is significantly above the 185–204 MtCO₂ range expected in scenarios aligned with net-zero compliance. The report reflects the current project pipeline and existing policies, not future plans or pledges.

It is the second formal warning in recent weeks. In June, the Committee on Climate Change found that two-fifths of the emission cuts required by 2030 either lack credible delivery plans or face major risks.

Fintan Slye, Neso’s chief executive, said the pace of progress is not enough. “We need to go further and faster, accelerating the rollout of clean energy technologies,” he said. He called for quicker adoption of energy efficiency, flexible demand, electric vehicles, and low-carbon heating, warning that decisions made today will shape the success of future climate efforts.

Neso was spun out of the National Grid and is now a government-owned body. Its forecast projects that the UK will have 148 GW of renewable electricity by 2035. However, meeting the 2050 net zero target would require 170–190 GW by that time. This shortfall highlights the growing gap between climate ambitions and actual infrastructure development.

The system operator stressed that halving emissions to around 200 MtCO₂ by 2035 will require accelerating the deployment of low-carbon technologies across sectors, from heavy industry to homes and transport. The report serves as a snapshot of where the UK is headed, given its current trajectory.

The findings have added to pressure on the government’s energy strategy. The Neso forecast suggests that current action remains insufficient. Without faster deployment and deeper reforms, the UK risks falling further behind its climate targets.