Sir Tony Blair called for a major reconsideration of the net zero policy, believing that limiting energy consumption and fossil fuel production is “doomed to fail”.
The former labor prime minister said in a new report that voters “when they know the impact on global emissions is small, they are asked to make financial sacrifices and lifestyle changes.”
He doesn't ask labor to stop decarbonizing the British economy - but says all governments need to rethink their approach because that doesn't work.
Tories - joining the UK reforms net zero emissions - urging Labor to end the "crazy dash", but Downing Street said it would not change course.
In its report Climate Paradox: Why We Need to Reset Actions on Climate Change,,,,, The Tony Blair Institute believes that global institutions such as the COP and the United Nations have failed to make enough progress in stopping climate change.
It believes that, meanwhile, the public has lost confidence in climate policy because the promised green employment and economic growth have not been achieved, thanks in part to global instability and a common pandemic.
Sir Tony wrote in the foreword: “While most people will accept the reality that climate change is caused by human activities, they are far from the politics of the problem because they believe that the proposed solution is not built on good policies.”
"Any strategy based on "phasing out" fossil fuels or limiting consumption is a doomed strategy," he said.
He also warned of the “alert” tone of the debate on climate change, which he said was “irrational.”
The report calls for rapid deployment of carbon capture and storage technologies, using more AI to make energy efficient and invest in small nuclear reactors.
It also advocates a greater focus on climate change mitigation measures, such as flood control measures, and has taken new international efforts to convince China and India to reduce emissions.
The authors of the report dismissed the foundation's claim to reject the net-zero goal while speaking tonight on the BBC Radio 4's world, saying it was "a paper involving increasing climate ambitions".
"We certainly won't reject net-zero goals. The document is really clear that we need to keep those goals because they determine the certainty of the business."
Ms Fursman said the report “points that while many economies are doing well, we need to do more, especially in the global situation, as global emissions continue to increase”.
Downing Street said that would not change the net worth of zero - rejecting Sir Tony's advice that the public is no longer ready to make sacrifices to achieve green goals.
"We will reach zero in a way that gently step on people's lives rather than telling them how to live or behave," said the Prime Minister's official spokesman.
“Net zero is an economic opportunity in the 21st century, and it has the potential to reignite our industrial heartland, create good jobs for the future and lower bills in the long run.”
The government claims its net zero strategy has achieved fruitful results since July last year, with its private investment of £43 billion and its climate policy “now supports about 600,000 jobs across the UK”.
Labor data also delayed opposition to Sir Keir Starmer's cold claims on the net zero agenda, noting his speech last week, saying the clean energy mission was "in my government's DNA."
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband responded to Sir Tony's comments in public, agreeing to what he said "especially on carbon capture and storage and AI that the government is doing."
But Labour opponents quickly grabbed the words of the former prime minister.
"Even Tony Blair now says the push for net zero has become "irrational" and "hysterical". We are winning the argument!"
Conservative Performance Energy Minister Andrew Bowie said the government needs to "an emergency change of course."
He added: “Even Tony Blair has realized that by 2050, Keir Starmer and Labour’s crazy net worth will not be feasible or sustainable for net zero.”
Adrian Ramsay, a co-leader of the Green Party, said: "Blair is both morally and pragmatically wrong. The British public understands the need for decisive climate action and wants politicians to lead the action to do so."
Sir Tony's intervention was also frustrated by labor-supported environmental groups.
One campaigner told the BBC: “It’s a weird open and weird intervention that is often done by struggling people for those entering.
“The Labor government is joining many of the policies outlined in the report because they know it is popular among people, especially the voting coalition they need to maintain in the next election.
"But, (Conservative Leader Kemi) Badenoch and reforms have taken inconsistent positions on the public on this issue and will not help labor."
A Liberal Democratic spokesman said: “The last conservative government has no doubt brought us back by failing to invest in cheap, clean energy and insulation.
“But this has made us urgently now taking action to reduce energy costs and emissions, get rid of our dependence on Putin’s gas and restore Britain’s role as the world leader in future clean technology and the work that comes with it.”