As the UK sweltered under its latest heatwave, with temperatures soaring across the country and red alerts issued for vulnerable groups, the urgency of the climate crisis became impossible to ignore.
This was no isolated event: June 2025 was the world’s hottest month on record, the thirteenth such monthly record in a row. Extreme heat has become more frequent, intense, and prolonged, threatening lives, damaging infrastructure, and putting pressure on public services. In many ways, the UK’s blistering summer is not just a symptom of global heating but a warning signal that the window for meaningful climate action is narrowing.
Yet amid the growing threats, there is still cause for cautious optimism. The UK has already cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 54% since 1990, placing it ahead of many other advanced economies. According to Nicholas Davies, head of climate policy at Green Alliance, "This demonstrates that, with the right policies and supportive market forces, the 2050 Net Zero target is achievable."
Progress made: Energy and transport transformations
According to Davies, one of the clearest areas of progress has been the electricity sector. In 2010, coal and gas accounted for 80% of the UK’s electricity. By 2024, coal had been phased out entirely—the last coal-fired power station in Ratcliffe-on-Soar was shut down in October. Today, more than half of Britain’s electricity comes from clean, renewable sources like solar and wind.
That shift is already delivering tangible results: the UK achieved a 3.5% reduction in emissions in 2023 alone.
Transport is the next frontier. Historically the most polluting sector of the economy, road transport has seen a transformation in recent years. One in four cars sold in the UK is now electric. This surge is largely driven by the government’s 2030 target to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles. "Encouragingly, manufacturers are responding with incentives," Davies said. "The compound effect of more drivers switching to EVs each year accelerates emissions savings."
Yet this revolution hasn’t reached everyone equally. "Many early adopters of electric vehicles have been wealthier households with driveways," Davies noted. "They save up to £700 a year charging at home instead of paying for fuel. But for those without driveways, public on-street charging is more expensive due to a 20% VAT rate, compared to just 5% at home. Equalising this would make a big difference."
Davies also emphasised the importance of investing in public transport. "People shouldn’t have to own a car at all," he said. "In London, 60% of people don’t, thanks to reliable, 24/7 public transport. That same freedom needs to be available in cities across the UK."
Recently, the government allocated £15 billion to nine city regions to improve local transport. "It’s a step in the right direction," Davies added. "Efficient public transport lets lower-income families live low-carbon lives without the financial burden of car ownership."
Where the gaps remain: Heating and homes
Heating remains a major challenge. Homes account for around a fifth of the UK’s emissions, mainly from inefficient gas boilers. Heat pumps, which are three times more energy efficient, offer a cleaner solution. But the uptake has been slow.
"At the moment, it’s wealthier households who are taking up the government’s generous £7,500 heat pump grant," said Davies. "We need a means-tested approach so lower-income families can access clean heat too."
Renters face further barriers. Installing heat pumps in rented homes is complicated, and landlords have little incentive. That’s why Davies welcomed the government’s plan to mandate energy efficiency standards in rented properties by 2030. "Right now, landlords only have to meet an E rating on the Energy Performance Certificate scale. That means many tenants are living in cold, draughty homes. The new C-rating standard will reduce bills and emissions."
“The next decade is our only window to course-correct”
Experts say that achieving net zero requires more than just policy, it needs imagination, inclusion, and global equity.
Shiv Rao Challa, Founder of 3R Zerowaste, put it bluntly: "The waste crisis of our world is rooted in ignorance. In every landfill lies a story we choose to overlook…I see waste as misplaced potential.
“It is our collective responsibility to work towards a zero waste society. And this can be achieved only through active innovations. As someone rooted in the Global South, I believe when innovation meets community participation, the dream of a sustainable, waste-free society becomes a reality. Because waste is not always the end, sometimes it’s a new beginning.”
Challa’s vision sees climate solutions not as technocratic mandates but as a reimagining of our relationship with the planet. "Waste is not always the end," he says. "Sometimes it’s a new beginning."
For Dr Jyotirmoy Roy, Founder and CEO of GreenEnco, the stakes are high, especially for countries in the Global South. "The consequences of missing our climate targets will be both immediate and far-reaching," he warns. "We’re already seeing the rise in extreme weather with more heatwaves, floods, droughts threatening lives and livelihoods."
He points to ecosystems nearing collapse: coral reefs, Arctic ice, the Amazon rainforest. "These systems regulate the planet’s climate. Once lost, they don’t regenerate quickly."
Roy also underscores the looming public health crisis. "We could see millions of climate refugees, heatstroke, respiratory issues, and rising food insecurity. It’s not a choice anymore. Countries must accelerate clean energy adoption, especially in the power and transport sectors. The next decade is our only window to course-correct."
Asked whether the pace of solar deployment is sufficient, Roy is clear: "No. Solar is a cornerstone of decarbonisation, but the pace isn’t fast enough to meet net-zero goals." He calls for urgent action on three fronts: faster policy implementation, grid upgrades and storage integration and inclusive innovation
"Innovation isn’t just about new tech," he says. "It must empower local communities, schools and institutions."
“We need to celebrate and learn from Indian heritage”
For Dr Talia Hussain, a London-based researcher, climate justice intersects with culture, colonialism and consumption.
"The fashion industry is one of the worst climate offenders," she says. "It pushes a culture of disposability—buy more, buy new, discard the rest. That system demands enormous energy and creates both climate and waste crises."
Dr Hussain also advocates for decolonising sustainability. "Colonial legacies are alive in fashion, from the decimation of India’s historic textile industries to the exploitation of garment workers today. Now, Western brands re-enter India, Bangladesh, Pakistan selling fast fashion that sidelines traditional clothing."
But the Global South, she says, has answers. "India had one of the most advanced sustainable textile cultures in the world. We need to celebrate and learn from that heritage."
She also calls for more British Asians to be included in the climate conversation. "We are seeing the impact of climate change firsthand in both the UK and South Asia. We need to stop focusing on what we might have to give up and instead talk about what we gain. We have a chance to build a new legacy, a better, fairer world for the next generation."
While the UK has made important strides, it now faces its toughest climate challenges in home heating, transport equity, waste management and public trust. As Nicholas Davies reminds us, "This is a critical moment. The progress so far shows that Net Zero is possible. But the next five years will determine whether it remains within reach."
That said, climate action is no longer a burden, it’s an opportunity: for better homes, cleaner air, stronger communities and a fairer economy. As this summer’s heatwave reminds us, we can’t delay. The time to act, boldly, urgently, and inclusively, is now.
