![\"Ed](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ed-miliband.jpg\")
Ed Miliband continues to face scrutiny over his Net Zero push | GETTY<\/p>\nThe decarbonisation of industry should be treated as a \u201cnational security matter\u201d if Britain is to reach Net Zero with its manufacturing base intact, experts warn.<\/p>\n
Three industry bodies have written to Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, saying that, without urgent action, \u201cthe UK risks accelerating the decline of its foundational industries, putting jobs, investment and energy security at risk\u201d. <\/p>\n
They warn in the joint letter that, without clear policy direction and investment signals, the UK \u201crisks further decline in its critical industrial base\u201d. <\/p>\n
The letter is signed by representatives of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA), Hydrogen UK and Electrify Industry.<\/p>\n
All three industries play a key part in Britain\u2019s decarbonisation drive. <\/p>\n
The letter warns that high electricity costs, global competition and policy uncertainty are causing closures and dampening investment.<\/p>\n
\u201cSafeguarding the longstanding future of our vital industries is essential for the long-term prosperity of the UK\u2019s economy and security of supply,\u201d they write.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlready, we have seen one third of the UK\u2019s refineries close in the past year, 25 chemical industry site closures since 2020 and multiple steel producers have required Government investment to remain open.\u201d <\/p>\n
The Government has yet to release its updated Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy (IDS), which will set out in greater detail how climate targets can be met while safeguarding critical sectors.<\/p>\n
The letter says the IDS should \u201cserve as a signal of Government ambition to build back UK capacity and capability\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cIndustry views decarbonisation as an essential step and can work in lockstep with Government to achieve its aims with the right certainty in place\u201d, it states. <\/p>\n
It adds: \u201cWe recommend that the Government treats industrial decarbonisation as a national security matter, ensuring that British industries such as cement, chemicals, manufacturing and fuels can continue to operate, decarbonise and provide for our country.\u201d <\/p>\n
![\"\\u200bEnergy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/u200benergy-security-and-net-zero-secretary-ed-miliband.jpg\")
Daniel Paterson, Director of Policy and Government Affairs at Electrify Industry, warned that Britain\u2019s \u201cartificially high costs on electricity bills are a drag anchor on industrial investment\u201d. <\/p>\n
This meant businesses were missing out on the opportunity to modernise and reduce carbon emissions, he said. <\/p>\n
He explained: \u201cWithout direct action on the policy and infrastructure costs that inflate the price of electricity for British industry, our nation\u2019s employers and innovators will fall behind in the global race to modernise.\u201d <\/p>\n
Olivia Powis, CEO of the CCSA, said that carbon capture \u2013 which sees carbon dioxide emissions trapped and stored safely, often under the seabed – was \u201ccritical\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cWithout it, key sectors like cement and refining cannot decarbonise or stay competitive, risking industry leaving the UK,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
She said the Government must \u201cmove at pace\u201d and provide the uncertainty to unlock investment needed to deliver carbon capture schemes at scale. Clare Jackson, Chief Executive of Hydrogen UK, said that hydrogen would play an essential part in the country\u2019s clean energy future. <\/p>\n
But delays in decision making were holding back investment in a technology that \u201cshould be at the heart of the UK\u2019s clean industrial future\u201d, she said. She added: \u201cWith major investors ready to move and billions of pounds waiting to be deployed, Government needs to play its part and provide the certainty investors and industry needed to move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
The letter calls for an acceleration in carbon capture, hydrogen and electrification programmes. It requests that regulatory and planning decisions are streamlined and that clear long-term policy guidance, along with funding certainty, was given to complex decarbonisation pathways. <\/p>\n
It also asks for \u201ctimely delivery\u201d of the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme, which reduces electricity bills for eligible businesses. It further requests a \u201crobust\u201d carbon border adjustment mechanism, or CBAM. <\/p>\n
This would see imported goods pay a duty on their carbon usage, meaning domestic producers enjoyed a more level playing field. <\/p>\n
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman said: \u201cWe are delivering first-of-a-kind carbon capture projects in the UK, backed by \u00a39.4 billion over this parliament \u2013 supporting thousands of jobs across the country and reigniting our industrial heartlands.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are already seeing the first wave of large-scale hydrogen projects being delivered. We have also backed the hydrogen industry with \u00a3500m at the summer Spending Review because we recognise its important role in our mission to become a clean energy superpower, for energy security and good jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The decarbonisation of industry should be treated as a \u201cnational security matter\u201d if Britain is to reach Net…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":572788,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[84,1294,2222,1912,229,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-572787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy","tag-business","tag-economy","tag-money","tag-net-zero","tag-politics","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/572787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=572787"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/572787\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/572788"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=572787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=572787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=572787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}