When Labour swept to power in July, they did so on the back of several key environmental pledges. With October 12 marking 100 days in power, Axiom looks back at what they’ve achieved during their first three months.
1. Fast-Tracking Renewable Energy Expansion
Labour doubled the UK’s onshore wind farm capacity and tripled its solar power capacity in the first 100 days via secured funding and new planning permissions. It also greenlit nine offshore wind farms (including one just off the coast of Hull where we’re based), pushing forward their goal of quadrupling offshore wind capacity.
2. Creating a Publicly Owned Power Company
Labour has pushed for public ownership of key utilities – and one of their first acts of government was to set up the publicly-owned Great British Energy company. Additionally, Labour established a new national wealth fund with the chancellor for green investment.
3. No New Gas & Oil Licences
True to their manifesto, Labour halted all new oil and gas drilling licences, while the UK’s last working coal power station stopped working at the start of October 2024, ending the UK’s 142-year commitment to coal and demonstrating their move away from fossil fuels.
4. Carbon Capture Storage
Their most recent act was to pledge nearly £22bn to fund carbon capture and storage projects. This “new era” for clean energy jobs would help trap carbon emissions from power plants or factories before they’re stored via gas pipes under the seabed, helping create up to 5,000 ‘clean energy’ jobs in the long term. However, this hasn’t been without controversy, with some arguing this will prolong the demand for natural gas, with others highlighting planting trees would have been a more effective and environmentally-friendly carbon capture storage plan.
5. Electric Buses by 2035
Labour fast-tracked the electrification of the country’s bus fleet with an aim to fully transition by 2035. They also pledged ‘unprecedented levels of funding’ for cycling and walking infrastructure as they seek to decarbonise transport.
6. Insulation Drive
Labour has doubled its planned spending on insulation, helping address energy efficiency. The move aims to cut household energy use and emissions, with an emphasis on low-income areas.
Looking Ahead
There has been some swift and decisive action in Labour’s first 100 days, with several key projects and initiatives already in motion. But there is still a huge amount of work and funding to be done to ensure long-term climate targets are met in 2030, 2035 and Net Zero by 2050.
As the government continues to tackle the climate crisis, all eyes will be on Labour to see if their ambitious plans can translate into lasting, transformative change.
AXIOM is a powerful cloud-based platform that helps your business monitor, analyse and improve sustainability performance.
While collecting such detailed and specific data may seem overly complicated, specialist sustainable software like AXIOM exists to make steps towards logistic sustainability easier.
Using specialist technology, we equip businesses with a tool which enables them to track their environmental and social performance whilst also improving governance – identifying and mitigating risks associated with business operations and relationships.
Are you looking to transform your supply-chain sustainability? Let us help, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here.
Book your free demo here.
Want to know more? Please get in contact with our team here.
Contact Us
Join the sustainability Revolution &
Change Tomorrow
Unit 15, Waterside Business Park,
Livingstone Road, Hessle,
East Yorkshire,
HU13 0EG
Website by Blink Agency
