Government spend to achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2050 (FOI)

Request

A

How much will the Government of Jersey have to spend to become carbon neutral by 2050?

B

How much will the residents of Jersey have to spend in GBP (excluding taxes) for Jersey to become carbon neutral by 2050?

Response 

A

The Government of Jersey has committed to a pathway for Jersey to become carbon neutral by 2030 and net zero by 2050, through the policies set out in the Carbon Neutral Roadmap which was approved by the States Assembly in 2022 and can be accessed via the link below:

Carbon Neutral Roadmap.pdf (gov.je)

The cost of reaching net zero in the heating and transport sectors by 2030 has been estimated as being in the region of £60 to £360 million as part of analysis conducted by Oxera for the Government of Jersey, please see the following link:

Oxera Quantitative analysis of carbon neutrality by 2030.pdf (gov.je)

The cost of achieving carbon neutrality, and subsequently net zero, will depend on the mix of policy measures implemented and fluctuations in prices during the period to 2050. 

The Council of Ministers has recently published the principles which will inform the development of the Long-Term Financing Strategy (LTFS) for the Carbon Neutral Roadmap, as part of the proposed Government Plan 2024 – 2027. The LTFS will set out how the Government expects to raise the money it needs to successfully achieve the net zero transition. The Government Plan is linked below:  

Government Plan 2024 to 2027.pdf (gov.je)

As this information is publicly available, Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied.

B

It is important that Islanders are able to choose how to decarbonise their homes, transport and lifestyles and that those least able to afford to do so can access support to make these choices. 

Investing in a low carbon heating system or moving away from use of fossil fuelled vehicles are just two key actions for which there are a wide range of pricing and suitability options for Islanders to choose between. Decarbonisation will be achieved though the combination of choices and spending made by Islanders, businesses, and Government in the period to 2050.

The Government of Jersey has not estimated how much the residents of Jersey will have to spend in GBP (excluding taxes) for Jersey to become carbon neutral. As this information is not held by the Government of Jersey, Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied.

Articles applied

Article 3 - Meaning of “information held by a public authority”

For the purposes of this Law, information is held by a public authority if –

(a)     it is held by the authority, otherwise than on behalf of another person; or

(b)     it is held by another person on behalf of the authority.

Article 23 - Information accessible to applicant by other means

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it is reasonably available to the applicant, otherwise than under this Law, whether or not free of charge.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant where the applicant may obtain the information.