The Government has relaunched an expanded Net Zero Council inviting business, civil society and local authorities to drive the clean energy transition. Co-chaired by the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and the Group CEO of the Co-operative Group, Shirine Khoury-Haq, the council’s first meeting outlined the key priorities for 2025 to 2026.

This included:

  • A new focus on providing expert input to inform government strategies relating to net zero
  • Supporting the development and delivery of sector roadmaps, helping businesses to develop transition plans and investors to identify opportunities
  • Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises to decarbonise while maximising the benefits of the transition
  • Informing the government’s approach to public engagement and developing products to support public participation with net zero

These are sensible aims, particularly the focus on gaining expert input to help shape government strategies. It is also promising to see Ed Miliband talk of ‘driving investment, innovation and industrial transformation’.

What is disappointing though is the lack of balance on the council and in the comments coming from it. It represents a common theme that runs through Net Zero initiatives: the dismissal of any input from the oil and gas sector. The presumption the sector has nothing to add to the route to net zero is one that continues to dominate the agenda. However, there is much to be learnt from companies in the sector including the re-use of much of the technology already being utilised, saving on time and cost as Clare Miszewska-Hall, Head of Global Sales and Marketing at AnTech explains.

“The relaunch of the Net Zero Council must be seen as a positive step towards Net Zero. Bringing businesses, local authorities and the government to ensure that the move to a greener future is achievable is a good thing. However, the lack of inclusion of those in the current energy sector is typical of the approaches we have seen and one that cuts a potentially valuable contribution from inputting into the solution of Net Zero.

“Companies within the oil and gas sector have much to contribute to the process. For example, the Energy Secretary talks about driving investment and innovation and business transformation to move towards Net Zero which is in many cases the right approach. However, the dismissal of other voices means that the ability to recognise how existing technology and innovation, currently being used in the oil and gas sector can make a huge contribution towards reducing emissions.

“There also needs to be an acknowledgment at the highest level that even if the 2050 Net Zero deadline is reached there will be a need for fossil fuels – possibly as much as 20 per cent of current levels. Renewable energy on its own will not be able to cope. Therefore, finding ways of extracting and storing fossil fuels in more efficient and ‘clean’ methods is also critical.

“Technology already exists that can help with carbon capture and storage due to its long-time experience in underground reservoirs, drilling and injection operations. Solutions can improve the continued use of existing sites by increasing storage capacity within the carbon storage reservoirs with specialist drilling solutions. This means that existing sites do not have to be drilled, reducing footprint and impact as well as cost.

“There is a lack of collaboration between all parties. Without this and without an understanding that the oil and gas sector can help move the planet towards a Net Zero future, the further away we are going to be from hitting the 2050 deadline. Recognising the role the sector can play has to also be a key priority for the council, at present it is missing a key part of the puzzle and that needs to be rectified as soon as possible,” Miszewska-Hall concluded.