2026.03.09 Statement by the Minister for the Environment regarding the Climate Council’s first report

STATEMENT TO BE MADE BY THE MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT ON MONDAY 9th MARCH 2026

 The first Climate Council Report

I wish to inform Members that the independent Climate Council has completed its first four-year review of progress in delivering the  Carbon Neutral Roadmap.  This fulfils the  requirement established by this Assembly for an independent, scientific Climate Council. I have now lodged the Council's report with the Greffe, it is also available from gov.je.

The  first  Climate  Council  Report  presents  a  comprehensive  evaluation  of  Government's implementation of the Carbon Neutral Roadmap during the first delivery period from 2022 to 2025. Their report represents a significant moment in our climate governance, providing independent, expert climate analysis of our achievements to date, where we currently stand and where delivery must improve.

Before highlighting the Council's key findings, I would like to commend their work to the Assembly. This is a rigorous but also a realistic report, which I believe Members will find both challenging and encouraging.

In 2019, we recognised the climate emergency and later committed to reduce our carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, with interim targets in 2030 and 2035. This unprecedented transition requires our long-term commitment alongside our most pressing immediate challenges. It is something we are approaching in parallel with other nations, as each of us unpick our specific challenges. The Climate Council have recognised our early wins and the fact that we are now into the "hard yards" of decarbonising transport, heating and waste. This is a shared endeavour that deserves our attention and consideration as an issue that will increasingly shape our lives and the lives of our children and grandchildren.

So, what have they said? The Climate Council is clear that Jersey begins from a position of strength, but  it  also  makes  it  clear  that  we  must  move  faster.  Our  strong  foundations  include  our predominantly decarbonised electricity supply, our electricity infrastructure is in relatively good order, and early investment in social housing, all of which reduced emissions before the Roadmap's inception. We possess a unique capacity to shape our own pathway, given our legislative autonomy. Our financial services industry also has the potential to play a truly meaningful global role in influencing sustainable investment beyond our shores.

However, the Council is equally clear that on our current trajectory we are not on track to meet our interim 2030 target. Whilst this is already understood, they stress that the biggest barrier is not technology, nor a lack of viable solutions, but policy uncertainty and continued investment in new fossilfuel systems that lock in emissions for decades.

Transport remains our largest emissions source, with progress on electric vehicles, public transport and infrastructure still in the early stages. Heating too presents a significant gap: low carbon heating grants have helped, but uptake is uneven and the Council argue that without a clear timeline for phasing out fossil-fuel boilers, the market will not make the necessary investments at the pace required. In relation to the development of sustainable finance within our International Finance Centre, the Council warns that Jersey risks falling behind competitor jurisdictions and could become a "dumping ground" for highcarbon assets unless we move faster on frameworks, skills and disclosures. They raise issues of competitiveness and reputation as much as environmental ones.

Crucially, the Council's analysis confirms that Net Zero by 2050 remains both feasible and affordable, but only with stronger delivery. The Council's recommendations are clear: Government must provide stable, multiyear policy and funding, accelerate transport measures, including pricing reform,  active  travel,  public  transport,  legislate  where  commitments  already  exist,  develop longterm plans for waste and circular economy and strengthen systemlevel governance, analytics, and delivery.

These are areas where I believe context is important, particularly balancing ambition with budget and resource constraints, but the broad direction they advise is consistent with where we must go and are indeed headed.

The Council's own modelling indicates that, at system level, deep decarbonisation does not require higher longterm fuel costs per capita, especially when we accelerate the adoption of heat pumps and remove waste incineration from the electricity mix. Electricity demand growth is manageable with a steady transition and prudent planning - areas where Jersey enjoys advantages compared to many jurisdictions.

The Council conclude that the principal challenges facing Jersey are how to manage the capital cost of transitioning energy systems and the residual value of fossil systems in a socially just manner, rather than technical or long-term economic concerns.

The Council's report is also explicit about the counterfactual: delayed action raises total costs, risks asset lockin, undermines our international credibility, exposes households to volatile fossil fuel prices, and threatens our competitive positionparticularly in finance. There are also negative public health and airquality implications from continued fossil use in transport and heating.

We will now carefully review the recommendations made by the Council. Consideration of their analysis  will inform policy development for the next delivery phase  of the Carbon Neutral Roadmap.

The next phase of the CNR is critical. The Council's work provides us with the information we need to act decisively and transparently. I would like to express my thanks to the Council for their professionalism, independence and candour, and commend their report to the Assembly.