6th IDRIC Industrial Decarbonisation Policy Forum- October 2025

8th October 2025, London

The Forum brought together representatives from academia, industry, government, and the third sector to exchange insights and shape the future of industrial decarbonisation policy in the UK. Building on discussions from previous Forums and Roundtables, the event provided a collaborative space to review progress, explore emerging challenges, and consider how policy can best support the UK’s journey toward a net zero industrial sector.

Held against the backdrop of the forthcoming update to the UK’s Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy (expected in March 2026), the Forum reviewed current progress and identified new priorities. Discussions focused on balancing policy ambition with industrial realism, ensuring that the transition to net zero by 2050 supports competitiveness and avoids “de-industrialisation.”

Industry remains a cornerstone of the UK economy, responsible for around one-sixth of national emissions, making its decarbonisation both critical and complex.

This summary captures the key insights and recommendations from the Forum and is intended to inform ongoing dialogue and action across government, industry and research partners.

Key Themes

• Policy and Regulatory Direction: Current and future priorities, gaps and needs.
• Challenges in Hard-to-Abate and Dispersed Industries: Sector-specific barriers to decarbonisation.
• Prioritisation and Collaboration: Identifying key actions and cross-sector opportunities.
• Next Steps and Shared Activities: Defining actionable initiatives and follow-up responsibilities.

A summary can be found below.