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Mandatory climate change reporting is suggested as a mechanism for mitigating firms' climate change impact and, in particular, their carbon emissions. Although extant literature provides evidence of a negative association between the introduction of carbon reporting regulation and firms' carbon emissions, the literature on real effects of climate change reporting regulation is still in its infancy and has yet to provide evidence of the channels through which reporting regulation affects firms' real climate change‐related activities. By adopting the theoretical framework of the targeted transparency action cycle, which describes the mechanism leading to the real effects of reporting regulation, we provide empirical evidence on how external pressures exerted on firms and internal policies adopted by them shape the effects of carbon reporting regulation on firms' actual carbon emissions. We take advantage of the 2013 amendments of the UK Companies Act 2006, which made the United Kingdom the first country in the world to require its listed firms to report carbon emissions in their annual reports, and we empirically show that, first, after the introduction of the new reporting regulation, firms exhibit significantly lower levels of carbon emissions; second, these effects are more prominent in firms under higher external pressure; and third, firms that engage with relevant climate change policies exhibit a much larger reduction of their carbon emissions after the regulation took effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores a backlash against the net zero greenhouse gas emissions target within the UK. It introduces the term "anti-net zero populism" to analyse ideological and opportunistic counter-movements working to undermine climate policy. It builds a conceptual framework based on the literatures on "policy dismantling" and "discursive opportunity structures" to analyse how right-wing populists seek to undermine the net zero goal and dismantle policies. The article compares these efforts across six specific policy areas involved in pursuing net zero. Overall, it contributes to understanding the roles of discourse for policy dismantling, and the comparative strategies pursued to undermine net zero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to deal with the deep uncertainty and system complexity associated to Net-Zero pathways, especially those relying on emergent greenhouse gas removal (GGR) technologies, has resulted in a growing body of literature on alternative decision-support approaches. Exploratory modelling, and specifically Robust Decision Making (RDM), are potential approaches capable of addressing these challenges: by exploring a wide range of conceivable futures, they explicitly embrace deep uncertainties while seeking to reduce system vulnerabilities. However, though RDM methods have been well documented, there is little insight as to how such approach might be integrated into Net-Zero policy design processes. By means of a workshop (n=17) and interviews (n=13) with the UK climate policy and energy modelling communities, this contribution provides insights into the role and potential of RDM in explicitly dealing with the deep uncertainties that pervade in the establishment of a 60–100 MtCO 2 UK GGR sector within three decades. The consultation process revealed that there is an appetite from the decision-making and analytical communities in integrating exploratory modelling concepts into UK policy design processes. It is recommended that to bridge the gap between theoretical RDM constructs and their broader adoption, the analytical process should include a broader set of disciplines and expertise. Specifically for the modelling community, this work suggests that in-use computational models should be adapted, rather than new tools developed. Key challenges also arise from the time and resources required, suggesting small scale place-based pilots could promote the acceptability and foster the adoption of the RDM methodology. • Exploratory approaches, specifically Robust Decision Making (RDM), could tackle deep uncertainty in UK Net Zero pathways. • RDM's participatory scoping stage could address the multitude of cross-cutting issues prevalent in Net Zero systems. • The breadth and depth in the scope of Net Zero are considered major obstacles to the adoption of exploratory approaches. • Addressing this challenge requires involving a wider set of disciplines and expertise in energy system modelling. • Small scale place-based pilots could foster capacity development for the adoption of the RDM methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of global emissions scenarios compatible with holding global warming to less than 2 °C depend on the large-scale use of Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) technologies. Recent critiques have highlighted the concerns of building long-term climate policy on such speculative technological scenarios emerging from orthodox modelling approaches – including integrated assessment modelling prominently assessed by the IPCC. Through a stakeholder consultation process with the UK modelling and policy community, we critically examine the integration of GGR technologies into UK Net Zero scenarios and the decision-making philosophy underlying the use of orthodox modelling to inform UK climate policy. We identify a number of features of orthodox modelling approaches which are unable to manage the pervasive extent of deep uncertainty in possible UK climate and energy futures. We further argue that a more fundamental issue lies in the way that the models are used by UK climate policy makers: that the handling of uncertainties which pervade the integration of GGR into Net Zero policy are resulting in substantial distortions in net-zero policy design and associated decision-making. Drawing on the principles of decision-making under deep uncertainty techniques, exemplified by Robust Decision Making, we recommend an alternative approach that explicitly embraces uncertainty, multiple values and diversity among stakeholders and viewpoints, and in which modelling exists in an iterative exchange with policy development rather than separate from it. We advocate that such an approach would provide more relevant and robust information to near-term policymaking and enable an inclusive societal dialogue about the appropriate role of GGR within UK climate policy. • The deployment of greenhouse gas removal to address UK Net Zero is subject to deep uncertainty. • There is a need to develop greater stakeholder capacity as to the role of models in informing policy design. • Societal scenarios, extreme events and disruptions are underrepresented in the conventional Net Zero analyses. • Participatory processes would unpack uncertainty, aid transparency and promote deliberative decision-making. • Tools for decision-making under deep uncertainty could play a fundamental role in the deployment of negative emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]