Tory leadership contender Kemi Badenoch called the zero climate target “unilateral economic disarmament” and vowed to scrap it if elected.
The outsider but rising star took aim at existing government policies that have “overburdened our economy” and are “eating up hard-earned taxpayers’ money”.
“Too many policies, like zero targets, created without thought of the effects on industries in poorer parts of this country,” Ms Badenoch said at the launch of her campaign.
“The consequence is simply a shift of emissions to other countries – unilateral economic disarmament. That’s why we have to change, and that’s why I’m running to be leader.”
The comments are the starkest repudiation yet of the net-zero commitment in a leadership race that has alarmed the group of Conservative MPs keen on it.
Suella Braverman, who also promises to be a candidate on the right, also attacked the policy – while front-runner Rishi Sunak failed to mention it as he botched spending while chancellor.
Ms Badenoch also took aim at businesses whose “main priority is social justice rather than productivity and profits”, calling it a “Ben and Jerry trend”.
And doubling down on her opposition to the Online Harm Bill, she insisted the police should focus on crime and “not worry about hurt feelings online”.
Ms Badenoch, who has the backing of Tory big hit Michael Gove, has also targeted candidates who have promised huge tax cuts, most notably Sajid Javid and Nadhim Zahawi.
“I’m not going to get into a tax bidding war and say my tax cuts are bigger than yours,” she promised. “The dividing line in this race is not tax cuts, but discretion.
“It’s time to tell the truth. For too long politicians have said you can have it all – you can have your cake and eat it too. But I’m here to tell you that’s not the case.
“Governing involves compromise and you have to be honest about that,” she said, claiming the public was “crying out for honesty” from the next prime minister, a quality she would bring.
Ms Badenoch currently has 16 declared supporters, putting her on course for the 20 needed to enter the leadership race when nominations close tonight.
The first vote among the 359 Conservative MPs will take place on Wednesday, with candidates needing 30 votes to advance to a second vote on Thursday.
More votes will be held next week to whittle the hopefuls down to just two contenders by July 21, with the final choice made by members.
The new prime minister will then be unveiled on September 5, dashing the hopes of many Conservative MPs that Mr Johnson could be ousted from No 10 sooner.
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