Tuesday 18 November 2025

The Rt Hon. Amber Rudd

Reports of the death of the climate consensus may be greatly exaggerated, but there is no denying how far we have drifted from the Paris agreement of 2015. The climate crisis has lost ground to more immediate challenges, but those who paint it as a fad – or a con – are mistaken.

It was inevitable that the climate consensus would give way to climate realism. Real consequences emerge when the low hanging fruit is gone. Governments are wrestling with sluggish growth and limited fiscal headroom. The appetite for regulation is low. We cannot rely on governments alone to deliver net zero.

The Prince of Wales’ call for business to step up was timely. His message, that corporate leadership is essential to tackling climate change and protecting biodiversity, was simple and urgent. He is right. Yet businesses are facing the same economic pressures as governments. How can we expect them to heed this Royal call to arms?