Britain | Pain now, gain later

Achieving net-zero carbon emissions will be eye-wateringly expensive

The politics will be tricky

IN NOVEMBER BRITAIN will host the 26th UN climate-change conference, known as COP26, in Glasgow. For Boris Johnson, the prime minister, it will be a chance to play global statesman. Mr Johnson is fond of grand projects, and few are as grand as decarbonisation. Britain is one of 131 countries that have committed to reducing net carbon emissions to zero, or are discussing such a target—but one of just six to have enshrined that commitment in law.

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Pain now, gain later”

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From the July 17th 2021 edition

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