The Guardian has published its daily corrections and clarifications column for June 30, 2026, addressing errors in a previous article on climate policy. The newspaper corrected a misattributed quote and a factual inaccuracy that appeared in a June 29 piece titled "UK Climate Goals Face New Hurdles."
Misattributed Quote Corrected
The original article incorrectly attributed a statement to Dr. Emily Watson, a climate scientist at the University of Oxford, regarding the feasibility of net-zero emissions by 2050. The quote, which read "Achieving net-zero by 2050 is unlikely without drastic behavioral change," was actually made by Professor James Hartley of the London School of Economics. The Guardian apologizes for the error and has updated the online version to reflect the correct attribution.
Factual Error in Emissions Data
Additionally, the article misstated the percentage reduction in UK carbon emissions since 1990. The correct figure is 48%, not 52% as originally reported. The error stemmed from using preliminary data from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, which was later revised. The Guardian has corrected the figure and added a note to the article.
Impact and Commitment to Accuracy
According to the newspaper's corrections policy, these amendments are part of its commitment to maintaining accuracy and transparency. The Guardian encourages readers to report potential errors via its corrections email. The corrected article now includes a clarification at the top noting the changes made.
