By Dr Philip J. Nicholson

We’re chasing net zero with blinkers on.

While politicians parade hydrogen hubs and carbon capture pipelines as climate saviours, they’ve turned their backs on the engine rooms of rural Britain. My team’s research reveals that over half of the UK’s industrial emissions come from forgotten factories, distilleries and workshops scattered across our countryside. They’re being strangled by a system rigged against them and often fall through the cracks of national decarbonisation strategies.

This oversight is economically reckless. The Government’s current attitude towards industrial decarbonisation is too rigid and inflexible, favouring a one-size-fits-all solution. Yet, this overlooks the complexities and needs of Britain’s rural businesses, ranging from rural manufacturers that require very high temperatures to agricultural processing industries with pronounced seasonal demand patterns.

Indeed, if these complexities are not understood in government policy, then it will only deter rural businesses from participating in the transition to net zero. Many........

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