2050 zero-carbon: Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley says setting a target is not “action”

12 June 2019

Reacting to Theresa May’s answer to Green MP Caroline Lucas at Prime Minister’s Questions today, Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley said: “The Prime Minister’s claim that setting a legal target is ‘action’ simply doesn’t stack up.

“As Caroline identified, there are significant steps that Theresa May could take in her short remaining time as Prime Minister, cancelling Heathrow expansion, turning money earmarked for new roads to public transport and stopping fracking.”

Jonathan continued:

“What most of the discussion has missed since the Prime Minister’s announcement is, however, the positive possibilities that a strong, fixed zero-carbon target date means for businesses.

“With Finland setting the goal of 2035, businesses there will be racing forward with new technologies and approaches. 

“Yet our government is planning a review of the target in five years, so British business is not being given the stable policy framework that it needs to take advantage of the huge possibilities offered by the need to reshape our economy and society for the Climate Emergency.

“That is what business is asking for, nationally (1) and globally (2).

“Instead in Britain we have had see-sawing policy and sudden decisions, such as cutting and ending the feed-in tariff and removing the planned zero-carbon homes standard, that have left businesses around the country stranded. ”

Notes

  1. http://www.aldersgategroup.org.uk/latest#legislating-net-zero-target-is-crucial-step-forward
  2. https://www.corporateleadersgroup.com/reports-evidence-and-insights/publications/publications-pdfs/we-mean-business-the-climate-has-changed.pdf

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