Abandoning Climate Hope
Kent barker
Has the UK Government given up on Climate Change? The 2008 Climate Change Act commits the UK government to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 100% of 1990 levels (net zero) by 2050. But every pronouncement from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak seems to counter that aspiration. Last year the country’s Carbon emissions actually increased – by 0.9% – compared to 2021. The 2008 Act established the Climate Change Committee to monitor progress. Its latest report this summer criticised the government for a lack of urgency, with the following key findings:
- Policy changes are not happening at the required pace to meet future targets.
- Action is needed in a range of areas to deliver on the Government’s emissions commitments.
- Expansion of fossil fuel production is not in line with Net Zero.
- There has been continued airport expansion … there should be no net airport expansion across the UK.
Critics argue that not only is progress too slow, but a number of policies actually run counter to the net zero commitment, re-enforcing former minister Zac Goldsmith’s assertion that Sunak is “simply uninterested” in environmental politics: The review of ultra-low emission zones and low traffic neighbourhoods; promises of hundreds of new oil and gas licenses for the North Sea; the go-ahead for a massive new coal mine in Cumbria; the rolling back of timetables for replacing old gas boilers and fossil fuel-burning motor vehicles. And as for reducing air travel, Sunak has used RAF jets and helicopters for domestic travel more frequently than any previous prime minister – every eight days on average. He even took a helicopter on a visit to Norwich recently – a trip of just over 100 miles.
The only good news is that his anti-environmental stance seems extremely unpopular with the public. A recent poll showed that 82% believe that Climate Change was important to them, and almost two-thirds don’t believe Sunak is committed to the UK’s targets. It’s almost as if he doesn’t believe people are causing Climate Change in the first place.
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