Kemi Badenoch said she will task shadow ministers with finding “achievable solutions” to delivering cheap, clean energy after declaring that reaching net zero by 2050 is “impossible”.
The Conservative leader said it was time to “get real” about the target during a speech to launch the party’s “policy renewal process” in London.
But she said that naming an alternative target would be “repeating the same mistake” made in setting the current goal.
“Why is it 2050 in the first place? No-one knows,” she said.
The party may later come up with its own target if “subject matter experts” decide that one is necessary, she said.
She said she has not changed her mind after showing support for the net zero by 2050 target set by the Conservatives when she was a minister.
“I haven’t changed my mind. What you are describing is collective responsibility,” she said.
She has tasked shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho, with help from shadow Scotland secretary and energy minister Andrew Bowie to look at solutions for delivering cheap and clean energy.
“I am tasking her team with finding and working with the people who know the truth and who can come up with achievable solutions, people who can answer from experience, how we can deliver cheap and clean energy without bankrupting businesses, without eye-watering bills for households, without dependencies on hostile or unstable countries.
“Labour may or may not be interested in these questions, but we are.”
She added: “Someone has to save these noble objectives from the zealots who have hijacked this agenda.”
She called herself a “net zero sceptic” because of overreliance on China and unreliable targets.
“Net zero by 2050 is impossible,” she said.
“I don’t say that with pleasure. I want a better future and a better environment for our children, but we have to get real.”
Mrs Badenoch said there would be “more in the weeks ahead” as “the academics, experts, business people, members from all walks of life” will help the party “get to the root cause of our country’s problems”.
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