The new Council for Net Zero Transport has officially formed, tasked with supporting the new government to accelerate road transport decarbonisation.

The partnership will work closely with more than 200 member organisations to develop an overall delivery roadmap for net zero transport

Convened by Zemo Partnership, the council is being chaired by Lord Deben, formerly UK Environment Secretary and chair of the Climate Change Committee.

It also includes senior figures from government, industry, environment and academic sectors to enable collaboration on a clear, strategic direction for road transport decarbonisation.

Some prominent figures include SMMT CEO Mike Hawes; Fiona Howarth, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles; Professor Neville Jackson, chair of the RAC Foundation; AA president Edmund King; and National Grid’s president of UK electricity distribution, Cordi O’Hara.

The partnership will work closely with more than 200 member organisations to develop an overall delivery roadmap for net zero transport – supported by underlying sectoral roadmaps – showing the best routes to decarbonised UK transport. The Council for Net Zero Transport will provide strategic oversight and help to steer the direction.

The council launches as latest research shows the rate of global warming caused by humans is at an all-time high.

Chair of the Council, Lord Deben warned: “The recent High Court decision that the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan was unlawful underlines the scale of the challenge that will be facing the next government. Progress on net zero has stalled. In some areas we’ve gone backwards.

“Transport is one of the most challenging and complex sectors of the UK economy to decarbonise. It is also responsible for around a quarter of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.

“This new council brings together very experienced people in key positions and with the widest range of perspectives to help us forge an evidence-based, multi-stakeholder consensus on how we can maximise the benefits from this essential – and inevitable – transition.”

Zemo executive director Claire Haigh added: “Transport is the fastest growing source of global greenhouse gas emissions. We urgently need to move beyond targets to the delivery of net zero transport. There are huge benefits and industrial opportunities if we get this right. We need a clear roadmap to the destination.

“We’re greatly encouraged that so many leading people with large stakes in the transport decarbonisation agenda have readily agreed to work with us to steer UK transport decarbonisation through this next crucial delivery phase.”