Sunak waters down Britain's climate goals

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivers a speech during a press conference on the net zero target, at the Downing Street Briefing Room, in central London, on September 20, 2023. The UK looked set to backtrack on policies aimed at achieving net zero emissions by 2050 with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expected to water down some of the government's green commitments. The move comes amid growing concern over the potential financial cost of the government's policies to achieve net zero carbon emissions by mid-century. JUSTIN TALLIS/Pool via REUTERS

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak watered down Britain's commitments to tackle climate change on Wednesday, delaying targets for changing cars and domestic heating to maintain the consent of the British people in the switch to net zero.

Sunak said his government remained committed to its legally-binding target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 but he said the government could afford to slow its progress because it was already "so far ahead of every other country in the world".