In remarks made to The Guardian, Andrew Bowie, acting shadow secretary for energy, challenged both the scientific consensus on net zero and the UK's commitment to the 2015 global climate pact. He also claimed that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world's top climate science body, is "biased".

"We are not climate deniers," Bowie said. "But we shouldn't be locked into arbitrary deadlines like 2050, which was chosen not on scientific grounds, but because it sounded like a good round number."

That claim contradicts years of research by the IPCC, which has repeatedly concluded that reaching net zero carbon emissions by mid-century is critical to limiting global heating to 1.5°C or at most 2°C — the central aim of the Paris agreement.

Climatologist Dr Friederike Otto of Imperial College London rejected Bowie's framing, saying: "There is nothing arbitrary about the 2050 target. Stabilising global temperatures means stopping greenhouse gas emissions — and that requires reaching net zero."

The 2050 goal was enshrined in UK law in 2019 under then-Prime Minister Theresa May and later became a global benchmark when the UK hosted the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. Bowie's comments suggest a significant departure from that cross-party consensus.

He hinted that a new Conservative government under business secretary Kemi Badenoch might seek to revise — or even withdraw from — the Paris agreement, a move that would put the UK in the company of Donald Trump's US administration, which twice exited the deal.

"The IPCC has their own worldview," Bowie said. "They promote a path that prioritises emissions cuts by a set date — but that may not be in the UK's economic interest." When asked to name any scientists who oppose the 2050 target, Bowie's team was unable to provide names.

Climate experts and economists have pushed back against the idea that decarbonisation will harm the economy. Reports by the OECD and the UK's own Stern Review have found that early climate action is not only cheaper than delayed action but can drive economic growth.

Environmental groups also condemned Bowie's remarks. "The IPCC represents the scientific consensus of nearly 200 countries," said Mike Childs of Friends of the Earth. "It's absurd to claim greater insight than thousands of the world's top climate scientists."

The Conservative Party is currently reviewing its net zero and energy policies, and Bowie confirmed that Badenoch, seen as a leading figure in the party's right wing, has long been sceptical of the 2050 goal. The review may recommend keeping a net zero commitment, but with no fixed timeline.

Critics warn such ambiguity would undermine global climate cooperation and investor confidence. "To suggest backtracking now would be reckless," said Childs. "The science is clear, and the urgency is real."