Khan was warned green pledge was unachievable

A KEY pledge of Sadiq Khan’s reelection campaign was privately declared virtually unachievable by the Mayor of London’s officials three months before he went on to announce the policy anyway.

An internal City Hall memo stated that eliminating the capital’s net carbon emissions by 2030 was “of course desirable” but was “highly unlikely to be achieved”.

The memo states that achieving netzero carbon emissions in London by 2030 would require the replacement of gas boilers in all of the capital’s homes and offices within the next decade.

Many of these systems would need to be replaced with hydrogen boilers, it continues, adding: “Large scale hydrogen production does not exist and our analysis estimates that a switch in the gas grid to hydrogen is not likely to be viable until into the 2040s.”

The City Hall document, obtained by The Sunday Telegraph, casts significant doubt on the viability of his subsequent pledge. Mr Khan, who launched his mayoral campaign on Tuesday, had accused the Conservatives of “delaying” much-needed action on climate change with the Government’s national commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, as he announced his own target for London.

A separate internal City Hall briefing points out that the power to require the “retrofitting” of existing homes rests with the national government rather than Mr Khan – casting further doubt on the policy.

The memo was sent by an unnamed City Hall official to Shirley Rodrigues, Mr Khan’s deputy mayor for the environment and energy, on Oct 4 2019. It was copied to Aram Wood, the mayor’s assistant director of environment.

However, three months later Mr Khan, who is seeking to be re-elected on May 7, pledged a “green new deal” for London. He said at the time: “Some may say that a 2030 target isn’t achievable but I say we can’t afford not to try.”

Last night Shaun Bailey, the Conservative mayoral candidate said: “Sadiq Khan is taking Londoners for fools, campaigning on a pledge his own officials have said is unachievable.”

The memo addressed to Mr Khan’s deputy stated: “2030 or earlier zero carbon target is of course desirable but with the lack of historic and current action being taken by our Government, it is highly unlikely to be achieved.

“For example, to reach zero carbon in London by 2030, we would need to scrap all fossil fuel vehicles and gas boilers, retrofit 1.5million buildings in London to make them energy efficient and install heat pumps in 3.5million homes in London within just 10 years.

‘To reach carbon zero by 2030 we’d have to install heat pumps in 3.5million homes in 10 years’

“Action would need to start TODAY, but it is highly unlikely that this could be achieved.”

A separate City Hall briefing paper drawn up last summer acknowledged: “The Mayor currently only has the powers to realise less than half the emissions reductions that are needed.”

Among the powers that sit in Westminster rather than with Mr Khan are those requiring the retrofitting of homes with new boilers. The briefing stated: “If work was started now, we may be able to reach a 2040 date.”

A spokesman for Mr Khan said: “Sadiq makes no apologies for his ambitious plans to make London carbon neutral by 2030. We are facing a climate emergency and thousands of Londoners are dying prematurely because of our filthy air.”

She added: “Sadiq has always been clear that for the capital to reach this target, government must step up.”