The Greenest Government Ever?

As we approach the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris this November, there is growing concern among environmental organisations about the UK Government’s apparent “slash and burn” approach to key green policies. Many are warning that the cancellation and weakening of 10 green policies will undermine the UK’s position at the Paris Climate Summit later this year.

Among the policies being axed go the subsidies for renewable energy, the ban on bee killing pesticides and the incentives for hybrid cars which means that as of 2017 gas guzzlers and hybrids will be pay the same rate of vehicle excise duty. Not only will this put people off buying hybrids, it may in fact incentivise the purchase of larger, more polluting vehicles as their road tax will be cheaper.

Green groups had applauded the Conservative manifesto’s stance on improving the natural environment and the pledge David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband had signed to take definitive action on climate change. The Energy and Climate Change Secretary is now being accused of “grotesque hypocrisy” for claiming that the government is leading on climate change action. It would seem that the government are actively shying away from any action on climate change, in July the Swedish energy company, Vattenfall, announced they are scrapping a planned windfarm in Lincolnshire as a direct result of changes to the planning laws that make the project too risky. Similarly, Drax (the largest powerstation in the UK) are reviewing their biomass operations as the removal of the climate change tax exemption this earns them will mean they take a £30mn hit to their core profits.

To the growing list of casualties is added the commitment to zero carbon homes, the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon and the ban on fracking in environmentally sensitive sites. It leaves us to wonder if anything is safe.

A Rocha UK will be joining in support of the Church of England’s Pilgrimage2Paris in November that aims to encourage world leaders to come to a fair and binding deal on climate change. We believe this is now more important than ever, in what some are calling this the worst period for UK environmental policy for 30 years.

Source:

The Guardian