Polling results are still undecided on who ‘won’ the leadership debate between Sunak and Starmer. The big issue missing was the climate emergency. And right now, more media time is being spent discussing VAT on private schools than on climate change.
Meanwhile, in a special address to mark World Environment Day, António Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations, declared:
“May 2024 [was] the hottest in recorded history…Our planet is trying to tell us something, but we don’t seem to be listening…We are not only in danger – we are the danger. But we are also the solution. Global emissions need to fall 9% every year until 2030 to keep the 1.5-degree limit alive, but they are heading in the wrong direction.”
He concluded, “We need an exit ramp off the highway to climate hell”.
For the UK, 2030 is the lifetime of the next government, so will we reach this exit ramp in time?
Craig Bennett, CEO of the Wildlife Trust, commented that a new Labour government “must start tackling the climate crisis on day one”. He highlighted the disparity between political rhetoric and action, such as Labour dropping its £28bn green pledge.
What does net zero mean?
Net zero has been turned into a battle slogan, with claims made by politicians that do not stand up to scrutiny. Cutting carbon emissions by almost half by 2030 is imperative for a liveable climate. As the UN Net Zero Coalition says:
“Net zero means cutting carbon emissions to a small amount of residual emissions that can be absorbed and durably stored by nature and other carbon dioxide removal measures, leaving zero in the atmosphere.”
The Reform Party – zero credibility on climate
Reform Party Chair Richard Tice inaccurately claimed on BBC Breakfast, “Net zero will make zero difference to climate change“. Such groundless claims were, of course, quickly debunked, but the rebuttal would not reach much of the audience of Tice’s trite soundbites. In reality, as the IPCC says, there is no uncertainty:
“It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land.”
What climate pledges are the Conservatives making?
The government continues to allow licences for fossil fuel extraction in the North Sea. Its Carbon Budget Delivery Plan was recently declared unlawful and must be revised, but by which government? The Conservative Party’s ‘5Priorities’ don’t even mention climate action.
Labour’s promises
Labour claims that it will focus on clean energy. “Labour will set up Great British Energy, a publicly-owned clean power company, to cut bills for good and boost energy security, paid for by a proper, time-limited windfall tax on oil and gas giants”. However, this is only fourth of its six ‘First Steps’, behind economic security, cutting NHS waiting times and a ‘Border Security command’.
The Lib Dems’ pledges
The Liberal Democrats claim that their ‘Fair Deal’ will “place tackling the climate crisis at the centre [sic] of all our policies” and that they “will create tens of thousands of jobs while cutting emissions and ensuring that the UK becomes a world leader in moving to net zero”. They further pledge to “cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2045” and that “80% of the UK’s electricity is generated from renewables by 2030”. The party also vows to “Plant at least 60 million trees a year to help reach net zero and restore woodland habitats”.
What the SNP says
The SNP recently had to revise its own emissions targets after acknowledging that it was falling short, but still aims to have Scotland hit net zero by 2045. Kate Forbes, currently Deputy First Minister, has said that licences for North Sea oil and gas extraction would still be considered but only if “climate compatibility tests” were passed by the applicants.
Plaid Cymru’s position
Plaid Cymru wants to renegotiate Wales’ devolution deal and use some of the resulting capital to invest in public transport infrastructure and create green jobs. It has previously pledged to get Wales to net zero by 2035.
And the Green Parties’
The Green Party of England and Wales, unsurprisingly, takes a strong line on the environment, stating “The climate and nature crisis is the defining issue of our time”. Recent pledges include plans for better public transport and a call for home insulation to bring down energy costs, “We would invest £250bn over 10 years in council-led schemes to insulate 10 million homes”. It says it would tax the wealthiest, as well as companies causing pollution. While these policies are attractive to some voters, its only MP, Caroline Lucas, is stepping down and it may be left with no voice in parliament.
The Scottish Greens, meanwhile, have called for a Scotland-wide road use charging framework combined with enhanced investment in public transport, and improved infrastructure for walking, wheeling and cycling. The first part of that could be a tough sell.
Can climate pledges be trusted?
Only the successful party can be held accountable for their manifesto promises, as only it has the power to deliver on them or not. There is no statutory obligation on a government to fulfil them. Can voters trust that what is said in the campaign period will be honoured? Promises made during campaigning may soon be forgotten in power.
What climate action is needed?
On 18 June, there will be a ‘Nature Climate debate’, when the environmental spokespeople of the largest parties will set out their methods to achieve the legally binding nature targets and net zero commitments. That the party leaders are not making these presentations themselves lessens the impact – perhaps to their cost, when YouGov polling shows that a majority of Britons believe that climate change is the biggest threat to civilisation.
The UK’s independent advisory group, the Climate Change Committee, has delayed its annual progress report, due to the dissolution of parliament. Perhaps if this report had been published before the election, voters would have been able to judge the performance and progress of the current government in an informed manner. If a different political party, or a coalition government, takes control, then it can still play a political game and blame the outgoing government for any lack of progress.
The new government needs to prioritise climate action
The climate emergency means that we are faced with real and imminent threats to our very existence. What we need, more than ever, is genuine cross-party cooperation and policies. The next five years will witness more frequent extreme weather events, both in the UK and around the world. The climate crisis won’t wait until we solve the housing crisis, the NHS crisis, the sewage crisis or taxation problems. It’s here – now.
We know what needs to be done. It is not a matter of politics.
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