The United Kingdom’s latest budget did not present itself as climate-focused, yet almost every major decision inside it will influence the country’s climate future. On November 26, 2025, Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered a budget centred on economic growth, productivity and cost of living. Climate change and Net Zero targets hardly appeared in her speech. The word “climate” was mentioned only a few times.
But a deeper look at the budget documents shows a very different picture. The government decided to end the Energy Company Obligation, a long-running scheme that funded home insulation and low-carbon upgrades. A new per-mile tax on electric vehicles was announced for 2028. The budget extended the current 5 pence fuel duty cut, kept the 78 per cent windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas until 2030, approved new drilling permissions near existing fields and committed billions to nuclear power.
The government also expanded the UK emissions trading scheme to include maritime routes and introduced a carbon border adjustment mechanism that will begin in 2027. These choices will shape the country’s infrastructure, energy systems and emissions for decades to come. Some support decarbonisation, while others create new challenges or push the country in the opposite direction.
However, many of these climate connections were missing from mainstream news coverage. While some outlets discussed the windfall tax, electric vehicle levy or changes to energy charges, several widely read platforms focused almost entirely on tax changes, benefits, political reactions and the leak of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecasts. Climate implications were either mentioned briefly or not at all.
Most of the detailed breakdowns came from specialist climate platforms such as Carbon Brief, E3G, BusinessGreen, the LSE’s Grantham Institute and industry groups. For example, E3G warned that ending the Energy Company Obligation could cost 10,000 jobs and leave one million families unable to insulate their homes. But these expert analyses reach niche audiences, not the millions who rely on mainstream news.
The pattern highlights a structural flaw in the way British media covers climate issues. On budget day, attention was captured by cost-of-living stories and political drama. Climate reporting requires explanation and context, and these links are often missed when reporters work under tight deadlines. Climate is still treated as a specialised topic rather than a core lens through which all major policy decisions are viewed.
Other countries have begun shifting their approach. In France, major broadcasters now clearly link extreme weather events such as heatwaves and floods to climate change in headlines and reports, helping the public understand long-term patterns rather than isolated incidents.
When climate connections go unreported, the public loses vital information. Many did not learn that ending the insulation scheme could raise future bills or slow home efficiency improvements. Others did not see how fuel duty cuts and new oil drilling permissions conflict with Net Zero goals. Without this context, key trade-offs remain hidden and policy decisions escape scrutiny.