Committee publication · Correspondence · 21 July 2026

Correspondence from the Chair to James Purnell, Chief of Staff relating to the current governmental structures for the delivery of net zero, dated 21 July 2026

From: Energy Security and Net Zero Committee

Summary

The Energy Security and Net Zero Committee Chair writes to the incoming Chief of Staff to express concerns about governmental structures for net zero delivery. The committee argues that despite the Government's five-mission approach, momentum has faltered and the system has become more complex and opaque. DESNZ lacks authority to mandate policies across departments, creating coordination gaps.

Key findings

The five-mission approach, intended to clarify net zero delivery, has instead made the system more complex and opaque over the past two years
DESNZ is responsible for coordinating net zero policies but lacks authority to mandate delivery in other departments
The Clean Energy Mission Board lacks the authority to drive net zero policies across government departments
Net zero is inherently cross-cutting but current structures fail to coordinate delivery across multiple departments, creating a vacuum

Tone

Critical

Topics

net-zerogovernment-structureenergy-policycross-government-coordination

Key actors

Bill Esterson, James Purnell, Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Clean Energy Mission Board

Notable line

“… the mission-led approach to Government has arguably served to make delivery of net zero more complex and opaque, not less so.”

Key Quotes

“The Government had a strong plan for change through its five missions, which included making Britian a Clean Energy Superpower and accelerating to net zero.”
— Bill Esterson · Describing the initial government strategy

“… over the last two years, momentum and direction have faltered, and the mission-led approach to Government has arguably served to make delivery of net zero more complex and opaque, not less so.”
— Bill Esterson · Expressing concerns about deteriorating outcomes

“Neither DESNZ nor the Clean Energy Mission Board appear to have the authority to mandate the delivery of net zero policies in other government departments. This creates a vacuum.”
— Bill Esterson · Identifying the core coordination problem

“… we would urge you to think about revitalising the current structures or consider the creation of a more traditional centralised body such as a cabinet Committee on net zero”
— Bill Esterson · Recommending structural solutions

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗