--- title: Rishi Sunak's Climate Action Record: What to Know description: While Britain's newest Prime Minister is no environmentalist, 'it could hardly be worse than Truss,' says one campaigner. canonical: https://time.com/6224440/rishi-sunak-climate-action-record-uk/ author: Ciara Nugent article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2022-10-24T20:26:50.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-14T09:41:04.568Z article:section: Climate og:title: Liz Truss Decimated U.K. Climate Policy. Campaigners Hope Rishi Sunak Will Fix It og:description: While Britain's newest Prime Minister is no environmentalist, "it could hardly be worse than Truss,” says one campaigner. og:url: https://time.com/6224440/rishi-sunak-climate-action-record-uk/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72f949decd5eff01/698a36aacabb1d73e4e50c88/Rishi-Sunak-Climate-Change.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Rishi Sunak Climate Change og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Liz Truss Decimated U.K. Climate Policy. Campaigners Hope Rishi Sunak Will Fix It twitter:description: While Britain's newest Prime Minister is no environmentalist, "it could hardly be worse than Truss,” says one campaigner. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72f949decd5eff01/698a36aacabb1d73e4e50c88/Rishi-Sunak-Climate-Change.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Liz Truss Decimated U.K. Climate Policy. Campaigners Hope Rishi Sunak Will Fix It > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=300671cd-9cbc-45cf-8b47-665559a5f28e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=300671cd-9cbc-45cf-8b47-665559a5f28e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=300671cd-9cbc-45cf-8b47-665559a5f28e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=300671cd-9cbc-45cf-8b47-665559a5f28e&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Britain's Next Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Says U.K. Faces 'Profound Economic Challenge [Watch (HLS stream): Britain's Next Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Says U.K. Faces 'Profound Economic Challenge](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/SKqxoVN8.m3u8) (1:30)  _Published 2022-10-24. After a tumultuous period of political instability, Britain is once again poised to get a new leader. This time, that leader is Rishi Sunak._  by [Ciara Nugent](https://time.com/author/ciara-nugent/)  ## Ciara Nugent Oct 24, 2022 8:26 PM UTC After a tumultuous period of political instability, Britain is once again poised to get a new leader. This time, that leader is Rishi Sunak.  by [Ciara Nugent](https://time.com/author/ciara-nugent/)  ## Ciara Nugent Oct 24, 2022 8:26 PM UTC The U.K. has a new Prime Minister, and British environmentalists are breathing a small, qualified, sigh of relief. Rishi Sunak, a former finance minister, was confirmed as [the new leader of the ruling Conservative Party](https://time.com/6224248/rishi-sunak-britain-new-prime-minister/) on Monday, after a weekend of chaotic intra-party negotiations to replace Liz Truss, who resigned on Oct. 21 after just 44 days in office, amid fierce backlash to her far-right economic agenda. (Truss had replaced former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who[ resigned in July](https://time.com/6194087/boris-johnson-future-ministers-resign/) after a series of scandals.) And while Sunak is by no means an environmental champion, campaigners are cautiously optimistic that he may bring the U.K.’s climate fight back from the brink. Truss’s short time at the helm of the world’s fifth largest economy was [a whirlwind for British climate policy](https://time.com/6212796/king-charles-iii-climate-change-liz-truss/). A long-time advocate of smaller government and deregulation who modeled herself on Margaret Thatcher, Truss had expressed skepticism about the ambitious action needed to reach the U.K.’s 2050 net-zero emissions goal—which Johnson had supported. Once in office, she immediately moved to outlaw solar power on most farmland, overturn a widely-supported ban on fracking, and scrap hundreds of laws and subsidy schemes designed to protect nature. Truss also chose Jacob Rees-Mogg as her energy secretary, a lawmaker who has questioned whether climate change is caused by human activity. In a country where polls show strong [bipartisan support ](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/climate-change-u-k-emissions-canada-1.6009671)for action to cut emissions, Truss’s environmental agenda was “quite shocking,” says Ed Matthew, campaigns director at European climate think tank E3G. “Liz Truss represented the nadir when it came to commitment to climate action.” **Read more:** [_Rishi Sunak Is Britain’s Next Prime Minister. Here’s What To Know_](https://time.com/6224248/rishi-sunak-britain-new-prime-minister/) Britain’s newest Prime Minister is not exactly the peak. As a lawmaker, first elected in 2015, Sunak has usually voted [against](https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/25428/rishi%5Fsunak/richmond%5F%28yorks%29/votes#environment) measures to lower emissions. As finance minister from 2020 to 2022, he cut funding for key energy efficiency measures. And as a candidate for the Conservative leadership this summer—which he initially lost to Truss—his enthusiasm for clean energy was at best lukewarm. But, adds Matthew: “The evidence is that he is certainly prepared to listen more to science than Liz Truss was. Climate change presents an existential threat to the British economy and if he can’t grasp that, whatever actions he takes will not be enough to provide future prosperity for this country.” ## **What is Sunak’s record on climate action?** Pretty poor. In March 2021, cuts by Sunak as Chancellor of the Exchequer led to the abandonment of a $1.7 billion scheme to insulate U.K. homes. In October that year, on the eve of the COP26 U.N. climate summit hosted by the U.K., Sunak announced a plan to [halve taxes on domestic flights](https://time.com/6111963/uk-climate-change-short-budget-cop26/)—a move that would encourage air travel and boost its emissions. He also cut the U.K.’s foreign aid budget from 0.7% to 0.5% of national income, shaving [millions](https://www.climatechangenews.com/2021/04/29/uk-aid-cuts-hit-developing-cities-plans-protect-floods-fires/) off the country’s funds to help poorer countries adapt to climate change—at a time when campaigners say rich countries need to dramatically scale up climate finance.  Protesters from the Extinction Rebellion group holding posters against then-Prime Minister Liz Truss outside Downing Street on 14th October 2022 in London, United Kingdom. Mike Kemp—In Pictures/Getty Images Sunak has, however, always been enthusiastic about the business world’s role in the energy transition, pledging $17 billion to help London become a “hub for green finance,” as a way to sharpen the city’s softened competitive edge after [Brexit](https://time.com/6109455/brexit-ireland/). In November 2021, Sunak also announced a world-first scheme to force U.K.-based companies to publish net-zero transition plans, saying the U.K. “has a responsibility to lead the way” on financing climate action. Kierra Box, a U.K.-based campaigner at Friends of the Earth, says Sunak “has talked the talk” around delivering the government’s net-zero pledges. But his economic position—on the right of the Conservative Party—has prevented him from taking the more interventionist moves that many experts say are needed to lower the U.K.’s emissions in the short term, such as taxing high polluting activities or funding large scale low-carbon infrastructure projects. “His previous attitude to delivering growth has always prioritized deregulation and finding technological solutions to the climate crisis,” she says, citing Sunak’s support for unproven carbon capture technologies over measures to cut fossil fuel use. “That allows him to ignore some of the bigger and more immediate challenges.” ## **What will Sunak do for the climate now?** There is reason for hope on some key areas of climate policy. During his leadership campaign in July, Sunak told the _Times_ of London that he wanted to spend [hundreds of millions of pounds ](https://www.cityam.com/tory-contender-rishi-sunak-backs-insulation-over-heat-pumps-as-winter-crisis-looms/)on a drive to retrofit U.K. homes, which are [leak more heat](https://www.newstatesman.com/chart-of-the-day/2022/01/british-homes-among-the-worst-insulated-in-europe) than most buildings in Europe. And while Sunak oversaw the cancellation of a previous program to do just that in 2021, advocates say the economic case for insulation is now undeniable: the price of natural gas, which most homes in the U.K. use for heating, [has surged](https://time.com/6218281/heating-costs-rising-2022/) following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Even after a government assistance package announced under Truss, Brits’ energy bills will have doubled by the end of 2022. **Read more:** [_How Green Energy Could Help Solve the U.K.’s Economic Mess_](https://time.com/6220329/uk-liz-truss-climate-green-economy/) “There’s a strong case to be made that you really can’t have economic growth without a focus on energy efficiency,” says Juliet Philips, a heat and buildings expert at E3G. “It’s the number one way we can reduce the amount people are spending on energy bills and could be spending elsewhere in the economy instead.” Environmentalists say the natural gas crisis also boosts the case for decarbonizing the U.K.’s energy supply through a massive expansion of wind and solar power—but it’s not clear that the new Prime Minister feels the same. Sunak shared Truss’s support for overturning the U.K.’s fracking ban over the summer, and pledged not to relax restrictions on building onshore wind farms “in recognition of the distress and disruption” that they can cause to communities who live near them. (Truss in fact did [cut the restrictions](https://www.ft.com/content/e10ac4ec-ab4e-452f-ad30-72a4af2d5f2f) in September, to the surprise of campaigners.) Sunak will face pressure to rethink those positions from the Labour Party. In recent weeks, the leftist opposition has expanded its polling lead over the Conservatives to [a multi-decade record of 39 percentage points](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-21/uk-labour-leads-ruling-tories-by-record-margin-in-voter-poll). In early October, the party made decarbonization the center of its annual conference, and [pledged to spend billions](https://time.com/6220329/uk-liz-truss-climate-green-economy/) creating a national clean energy company and turning the U.K. into a clean energy “superpower” by 2030. The specter of Truss’s brief premiership may also weigh on Sunak, says Box, of Friends of the Earth. Legalizing fracking—along with the rest of Truss’s agenda—proved deeply unpopular, and Sunak may wish to distance himself from his predecessor’s environmental record. “He’ll need to learn the lessons of Liz Truss’s failures, and reverse the rest of her agenda,” Box says, adding: “There is definite room for hope, because it could hardly be worse than Truss.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6224440/rishi-sunak-climate-action-record-uk/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6224440/rishi-sunak-climate-action-record-uk/"},"headline":"Liz Truss Decimated U.K. Climate Policy. Campaigners Hope Rishi Sunak Will Fix It","datePublished":"2022-10-24T20:26:50.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-14T09:41:04.568Z","description":"While Britain's newest Prime Minister is no environmentalist, \"it could hardly be worse than Truss,” says one campaigner.","url":"https://time.com/6224440/rishi-sunak-climate-action-record-uk/","keywords":["Geopolitics","climate change","Explainer","United Kingdom","healthscienceclimate"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72f949decd5eff01/698a36aacabb1d73e4e50c88/Rishi-Sunak-Climate-Change.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Ciara Nugent","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/ciara-nugent/"}],"articleSection":"Climate","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72f949decd5eff01/698a36aacabb1d73e4e50c88/Rishi-Sunak-Climate-Change.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Rishi Sunak Climate Change","caption":"Rishi Sunak Climate Change","creditText":"Wiktor Szymanowicz, Anadolu Agency—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/climate/","name":"Climate"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/geopolitics/","name":"Geopolitics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6224440/rishi-sunak-climate-action-record-uk/","name":"Liz Truss Decimated U.K. Climate Policy. Campaigners Hope Rishi Sunak Will Fix It"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Britain's Next Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Says U.K. Faces 'Profound Economic Challenge","description":"After a tumultuous period of political instability, Britain is once again poised to get a new leader. This time, that leader is Rishi Sunak.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/SKqxoVN8/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2022-10-24T16:45:48.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/SKqxoVN8.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/6224440/rishi-sunak-climate-action-record-uk/","duration":"PT1M30S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/6224440/rishi-sunak-climate-action-record-uk/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```