London to miss 2030 net-zero target, mayor admits

The mayor of London has conceded that the capital will not reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, and has urged ministers to hand him greater control over energy policy.

Sir Sadiq Khan said measures introduced during his time in office, including the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (Ulez) and the electrification of London's buses, had delivered significant cuts to carbon emissions.

But he argued that without direct authority over the energy grid, which remains largely dependent on fossil fuels, the 2030 goal was likely to slip.

Bodies overseen by the Greater London Authority (GLA), such as Transport for London and the London Fire Brigade, remain on track to meet it.

The admission came at Mayor's Question Time last week, after Green Party leader and London Assembly member Zack Polanski said City Hall's climate efforts were operating in isolation from one another, despite their individual merits.

Sir Sadiq accepted the criticism was "a fair one" and called for funding to be pooled. "The funding comes from different pots of money, it's frustrating," he said.

"If we had an integrated settlement, monies devolved to London in one pot, we could have some 'joined-upness'."

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 the public sector could reshape the market through its purchasing power, citing TfL, the police, the fire service and the NHS.

He added that buildings would need retrofitting and that grid reform was essential.

The mayor first pledged net zero by 2030 six years ago, a target more ambitious than the 2050 deadline set by both the current and previous governments.

Polanski later told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that London must be honest about the scale of the climate challenge, arguing the goal should be "non-negotiable" and that investment could bring cheaper energy and cooler homes.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been approached for comment.

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