Sunak wants to water down net zero commitments to ensure they are “proportionate”.
Ishi Sunak appears ready to water down some of the government’s net zero pledges to ensure they are “proportionate”, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from across the political spectrum and activists.
The Prime Minister confirmed he would give a speech this week to “set out an important long-term decision” after reports he would do so by backing green targets.
This could include weakening the plan to phase out gas boilers from 2035 and postponing the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars – currently due in 2030 – by five years, the BBC reported.
We are committed to Net Zero by 2050 and the agreements we have made internationally, but we are doing so in a better and more proportionate way.
Mr Sunak said on Tuesday that the Government remained committed to the net zero emissions target by 2050 but would achieve it “in a better and more proportionate way”.
He said politicians “of all stripes have not been honest about costs and trade-offs” and accused previous governments of “taking the easy way out and saying we can have it all”.
He wanted to position himself as a bringer of “real change” who would “put the long-term interests of our country above the short-term political needs of the moment.”
The prospect of a major shift in the Conservatives’ approach to green politics was quickly condemned by senior figures in the party.
Former Cop26 president Sir Alok Sharma warned that “a party’s withdrawal from this (climate change) agenda will be neither economically nor electorally helpful,” while former Conservative cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke tweeted: ” It is our environmental, economic, moral and (yes) political interests as @Conservatives to ensure we are leaders on this issue rather than in denial.”
Some Tory MPs are considering writing letters of no confidence to the Prime Minister if he implements the changes, the PA news agency has learned.
The Tories’ success in the Uxbridge and South Ruislip by-elections in the summer, won largely through a campaign against the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez), has led to other MPs calling on Mr Sunak to cut his net -To weaken or abandon the zero promise.
Among them was former prime minister Liz Truss, who called for the scrapping of “environmental regulations that drive up the cost of living”.
Mr Sunak could also reportedly abandon plans for new energy efficiency targets for private rented homes.
Chris Skidmore, a Conservative former energy secretary who has become increasingly outspoken on the issue of net zero, told PA: “If this is true, the decision will cost the UK jobs, foreign investment and future economic growth that we could have had if we would have committed ourselves to this.” Industries of the future.
“It will potentially destabilize thousands of jobs and cause investment to flow elsewhere. And ultimately, the people who will pay the price will be households whose bills will remain higher due to inefficient fossil fuels and reliance on volatile international fossil fuel prices.
“Rishi Sunak still has time to think again and not make the biggest mistake of his time in office by dooming the UK to miss the opportunity of the decade to deliver growth, jobs and future prosperity.”
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat climate and energy spokesperson, said: “What Rishi Sunak should see before him is the opportunity to harness the industries of the future and protect future generations from the catastrophic impacts of climate change.”
“Instead, he bowed to the delayers and deniers like the disgraced Liz Truss and adopted their policies across the board.”
Labour’s shadow energy minister, Ed Miliband, said: “This is a complete travesty from a Tory government that literally doesn’t know what it is doing day in and day out.”
“Thirteen years of failed energy policy have led to a crisis in energy bills, weakened our energy security, lost jobs and failed on the climate crisis.”
We will once again be seen as laggards if we fail to do our fair share in addressing the greatest existential crisis we face
Green MP Caroline Lucas said: “This decision would be economically illiterate, historically inaccurate and ecologically absurd. “This absurd setback will mean higher energy bills, colder homes, fewer jobs, more air pollution and more climate chaos.”
Hannah Martin, co-director of Green New Deal Rising, said: “This government has shown once again that it is determined to break its promises and do nothing to stop climate chaos,” just weeks after the hottest summer on record Records say Rishi Sunak has decided to ignore science and start a culture war.
“As world leaders meet to discuss how to tackle the climate crisis, he has stayed home to tackle some of the last climate policies this administration had left.
“Not only will the UK miss the opportunity to create millions of good green jobs and secure our energy future, we will once again be seen as laggards if we do not play our fair share in tackling the biggest existential crisis we face can afford.” .”
Jess Ralston, head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said: “All of this would result in us becoming more dependent on foreign oil and gas, becoming less energy independent and scaring off investors.”
“As the rest of the world rushes to invest in net-zero industries, any further backpedaling by the UK would further damage our international standing.”
Friends of the Earth policy director Mike Childs said: “It would be morally unjustifiable to roll back key climate commitments while the world is ravaged by extreme flooding and wildfires.”
“It is also legally questionable as the UK has binding greenhouse gas reduction targets that it is already at risk of missing.”
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/government-simon-clarke-prime-minister-alok-sharma-liz-truss-b1108132.html Sunak wants to water down net zero commitments to ensure they are “proportionate”.
