Tony Blair Calls for Climate Policy Reset Amid Local Election Concerns

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has called for a fundamental reset of Western climate policies, warning that current strategies—particularly those focused on quickly phasing out fossil fuels and pushing immediate lifestyle sacrifices—are failing to win public support and are unlikely to succeed. Blair, writing in the foreword to a new report by his institute, argues that the debate around climate action has become disconnected from economic and political realities, resulting in a credibility gap between ambitious targets and actual delivery. He criticizes the effectiveness of international summits like the COP series, suggesting they should be replaced by a new coalition that better matches ambition with practical results. Blair advocates for a shift toward pragmatic, technology-driven solutions such as carbon capture, rather than relying primarily on renewables or demanding significant short-term changes from individuals. His intervention has sparked debate within Labour and industry, with some seeing it as undermining current government plans while others acknowledge it as a necessary dose of realism. Despite his critique, Blair remains supportive of the overall net zero goal by 2050, but insists that future policies must be more closely aligned with public sentiment and technological innovation.