Net Zero Festival: The economic case for net zero

BusinessGreen staff
clock • 1 min read

VIDEO: Chris Stark, CEO of the Committee on Climate Change, explains how rapid innovation is making the economic case for a net zero transition even more compelling every year

Chris Stark is one of the most influential figures in UK climate policy circles. As CEO of Committee on Climate Change - the government's independent climate advisory body - the report's and recommendations produced by Stark and his team are essential reading for policymakers and business leaders alike. 

At BusinessGreen's recent Net Zero Festival, Stark provided the economic case for a net zero emissions target, highlighting key data showing that thanks to ongoing innovation, the GDP costs of transition are rapidly declining, making the case more compelling every year. 

His full speech and slides - which are essential viewing for anyone with a part to play in the net zero transition - can be watched in full above.

All of the panel debates, keynote speeches, and presentations from the world's first Net Zero Festival - which took place over three days from 30 September featuring hundreds of top speakers from business, politics and academia - are now available to watch again on demand through the Net Zero Festival website.

More on Investment

Point One: More than 30 firms commit 0.1 per cent of revenue to support global clean energy rollout

Point One: More than 30 firms commit 0.1 per cent of revenue to support global clean energy rollout

Paul Polman, Christiana Figueres, and actor Riz Ahmed back new SME-focused campaign that draws on analysis showing how investing just 0.1 per cent of global revenues could build a clean power system by 2040

Stuart Stone
clock 18 March 2026 • 3 min read
More than 600 flood defence projects to benefit from £1.4bn in government funding this year

More than 600 flood defence projects to benefit from £1.4bn in government funding this year

Environment Agency provides details on historic funding programme, which is set to deliver new flood barriers, coastal defences, and natural flood management measures

Stuart Stone
clock 17 March 2026 • 5 min read
Nest updates voting policy to address reversal on climate commitments

Nest updates voting policy to address reversal on climate commitments

Master trust says it will vote against board chairs who have 'materially' scaled back climate policy

Martin Richmond
clock 13 March 2026 • 2 min read