The Conservative Party has pledged to scrap the 2008 legislation and replace it with a strategy for “cheap and reliable energy.” Updated in 2019, the act set a legally binding target for the UK to reach Net Zero emissions by 2050.

By binding governments to long-term decarbonisation, the act compels ministers to develop hydrogen as an alternative tool for cutting emissions in hard-to-abate sectors such as steel and shipping.

Policy mechanisms designed to mobilise investments and deliver projects, such as the Hydrogen Business Model and Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, have been driven by the act.

Jackson stressed the legislation has been crucial for attracting investment, creating jobs and giving the UK a leadership role in clean energy.

“Scrapping it would undermine investor confidence, damage our competitiveness, and send the wrong signal to industries building the economy of the future,” the CEO explained.

“Long-term certainty is what drives growth, not short-term politics.”

Clementine Cowton, Director of External Affairs at Octopus Energy, also defended the Act on LinkedIn, saying it provides long-term stability for investment decisions.

She argued the focus should be on cutting electricity costs, not repealing the legislation – a concern that reflects wider industry fears that without the Act’s framework, hydrogen and other clean technologies would lose the certainty needed to scale.

Environmental groups branded the Tories’ pledge “national self-harm,” while Labour’s Energy Secretary Ed Miliband warned it would be an “economic disaster” and a “betrayal of future generations.”

The Tories argue the act sets “arbitrary climate targets,” which make people poorer, destroy jobs and weaken the economy. They plan to prioritise growth in cheaper energy and maximise domestic oil and gas extraction.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said the Tories still want a “cleaner environment for our children,” but argued Labour’s climate laws had “tied us in red tape, loaded us with costs, and did nothing to cut global emissions.”

She added, “Our priority now is growth, cheaper energy, and protecting the natural landscapes we all love.”

Opposition party Reform UK has also pledged to scrap Net Zero targets if it wins the next election.

Without the certainty of the Climate Change Act, UK hydrogen funding mechanisms could be weakened, threatening billions in planned projects and the UK’s ambition to be a leader in clean hydrogen.