Fahnbulleh calls 2030 clean electricity goal a stretch as Burnham backs net zero

Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh has called the goal of generating at least 95 per cent of UK electricity from clean sources by 2030 a “stretch target”, declining to guarantee it will be met. She said the commitment had built momentum for renewable energy, while the Government remains committed to reaching net zero by 2050.

The remarks came as Prime Minister Burnham addressed the COP31 climate summit in Turkey, where he reaffirmed the 2050 goal and described climate change as a national security threat. The article says he has travelled more than 22,500 miles abroad on taxpayer-funded flights in his first 115 days in office; an estimate puts the associated emissions at about 300 tonnes of CO₂. The Tony Blair Institute has urged ministers to drop the 2030 pledge and prioritise cheaper energy.