Mission Zero, the MP Chris Skidmore’s review of the UK’s net zero plans, prominently features INET Oxford work on the benefits of a fast clean energy transition.

On Friday, the Conservative MP Chris Skidmore published Mission Zero - a wide-ranging review of the UK's net zero plans. Citing recent INET Oxford work, the review’s Executive Summary notes, “Oxford research has shown that a fast transition to net zero based on scaling up key green technologies will continue to drive their costs down, and transitioning to a decarbonised energy system based on green technologies by 2050 can save the world at least $12 trillion, compared to continuing our current levels of fossil fuel use.”

Stock_Solar_Panels
"Oxford research has shown that a fast transition to net zero based on scaling up key green technologies will continue to drive their costs down, and transitioning to a decarbonised energy system based on green technologies by 2050 can save the world at least $12 trillion, compared to continuing our current levels of fossil fuel use.” Mission Zero: Independent Review of Net Zero - Chris Skidmore MP

The review recognises that the economy and climate are deeply intertwined and called net zero “the economic opportunity of the 21st century”, suggesting the narrative around the economics of sustainability has substantially shifted on these issues in recent years.

INET Oxford researchers Dr Rupert Way, Dr Matthew C Ives, Dr Penny Mealy, and Professor J. Doyne Farmer recently published the study cited in the Mission Zero review. In it they show that completely replacing fossil fuels with clean energy by around 2050 will save us trillions in energy costs alone. In other words, accelerating the transition to renewable energy is now the best bet not just for the planet, but for energy costs as well.


Find out more about how decarbonising the energy system by 2050 could save trillions here.

Read the full Mission Zero review here.