Net zero has become ‘unhelpful’ slogan, says outgoing head of UK climate watchdog

Chris Stark said populist response and culture war around the term was inhibiting environmental progress

The concept of “net zero” has become a political slogan used to start a “dangerous” culture war over the climate, and might be better dropped, the outgoing head of the UK’s climate watchdog has warned.

Chris Stark, the chief executive of the Committee on Climate Change, said sensible improvements to the economy and people’s lives were being blocked by a populist response to the net zero label, and he would be “intensely relaxed” about losing the term.