Wakefield Council's new Reform UK administration plans to abandon its 2030 carbon neutrality target and cut the climate change budget by £170,000. The council will also unpublish its climate action plan, withdraw from the Wakefield Net Zero Partnership, and end the climate change champion role. The move follows Reform winning 58 of 63 seats in the May local elections. The council says the 2030 target was unachievable and that it will focus on practical actions like making its property portfolio more efficient and replacing an aging fleet of vehicles. The budget cut may lead to workforce reductions subject to union consultation. The report notes there are no statutory net zero targets for local government in the UK. This decision reflects a growing trend of local authorities rolling back climate commitments amid budget pressures and political shifts. For carbon market participants and policy watchers, it signals that local government climate action remains fragile and dependent on political will rather than binding mandates.
