News

Richard Black: How Cop26 has triggered a new assault by climate sceptics. The populist attack on net-zero economics is a threat to all those who want a greener planet. Lawson’s GWPF is again at the centre of things – sending FoI requests to government departments and the Climate Change Committee; producing its own cost estimates, which unsurprisingly turn out to be much higher than anyone else’s; and finding journalists happy to create stories of an obfuscating establishment. A supporting cast is mustered in Westminster and among the elite media commentariat. For Peter Lilley in 2009, read Steve Baker and Craig Mackinlay in 2021; for Neil Hamilton and Conrad Black then, read any number of columnists attempting to pin the gas price crisis on renewable energy, or claiming that the public doesn’t want the net zero transition despite a mound of evidence showing that it does. It’s a different year and a different angle – but there is the same elite access, the same twisting of reality, the same playbook.

New Statesman 22nd Oct 2021 read more »

The Conservative party and its MPs have registered £1.3m in gifts and donations from climate sceptics and fossil fuel interests since the 2019 general election, an investigation by the Guardian can reveal. Oil companies, petrostates, airports and businesses linked with Russian energy tycoons are among this set of donors, who have either made money from fossil fuels or stand to lose economically or politically from cutting emissions. Their donations, all legally given and declared to the Electoral Commission or in the House of Commons register of interests, are overwhelmingly to the ruling party. In the past two years combined, they have given about £812,000 to the Conservative party, compared with £18,400 registered by the Labour party.

Guardian 25th Oct 2021 read more »

Politicians who complain cutting carbon emissions will cost too much money are stuck in one of the five stages of climate denial, according to a leading climate scientist. Backbench MPs are railing against the government’s plan to cut UK emissions to net zero by 2050, warning the policy will leave British citizens “poorer and colder”. Most insist they do not deny the science of climate change and are merely questioning the policy costs and wisdom of targeting ‘net zero’ in the UK. But renowned climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe suspects otherwise. Professor Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist, professor of political science at Texas Tech University, and chief scientist at the US NGO Nature Conservancy. She is also one of the world’s leading communicators of climate science and has experienced her fair share of climate sceptics.

iNews 25th Oct 2021 read more »

Environment Audit Committee, Green Jobs Report.

House of Commons 25th Oct 2021 read more »

Sue Ferns, senior deputy general secretary of Prospect and member of the government’s Green Jobs Taskforce, responding to the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) report into Green Jobs, said: “Ensuring that people have the skills and decent jobs to thrive is a key part of levelling-up the economy and a just transition to a Net Zero. This report highlights just how far the government is from getting this right. The report builds on the cross-party consensus of the Green Jobs Taskforce that looked at how business, communities and trade unions can work together to deliver ambitious change. We need immediate action to ensure we develop sufficient skills to match the needs of the future, and to avoid hardwiring inequality into the green economy. There will be no just transition or political dividend on levelling-up for the government unless we make sure quality green British jobs are at the heart of our plans.”

Prospect 25th Oct 2021 read more »

The government has come under fire from the environmental audit committee of MPs for its “inconsistent” policy on green jobs. The committee said that despite pledging millions of pounds to green jobs initiatives, ministers are yet to define what a “green job” is. “The workforce of the future is being undermined by a lack of evidence-based government policies on how jobs will be filled in green sectors,” said Philip Dunne, the committee chairman. “Encouraging announcements of investment in green sectors of the economy are very welcome but the government admits that claims about green jobs lack explanation and data on how the targets will be achieved.” The UK’s net zero strategy, which claims to support up to 440,000 jobs by 2030, should have been used to define and measure what green jobs are, the committee said, and called for a detailed action delivery plan.

Guardian 25th Oct 2021 read more »

Ambitious promises of a “green jobs bonanza” are at risk of falling flat amid inconsistent Government policy and a gap in necessary skills, MPs have warned. In a report out today, the cross-party Environmental Audit Committee expressed its disappointment that despite announcements committing millions of pounds to green jobs initiatives, the Government has yet to define what a “green job” is. The 16-member committee noted that last week’s launch of the UK’s Net Zero Strategy, which claims to support up to 440,000 jobs by 2030, would have been “the ideal time” to provide clarity on this.

Herald 25th Oct 2021 read more »

Net zero skills gap: Environment Audit Commitee calls for clarity over government’s green jobs plans.

Business Green 25th Oct 2021 read more »

Just Transition crucial to delivering on the government’s ‘levelling-up’ agenda, argues group of 40 banks and investors. UK banks, investors, and policymakers should embed high social standards far more deeply into their net zero strategies if the burgeoning green economic transformation is to benefit workers, suppliers, communities, and consumers right across the country. That is the core conclusion today from the more than 40 banks, investors, campaign groups and other organisations – including Barclays, Aviva Investors, ShareAction, and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) – which together make up the Financing a Just Transition Alliance. They are calling for a clear UK strategy to maximise the social opportunities and minimise the jobs risks associated with the transition to net zero over the next three decades, arguing a ‘Just Transition’ should be front and centre of the government’s ‘levelling-up’ agenda. A report by the Alliance today urges financial institutions and the government to take practical action to support a so-called ‘just transition’ which ensures no workers or communities are ‘left behind’ as the market shrinks for carbon intensive products and services. Published today, it echoes growing calls for a UK-wide Just Transition Commission similar to that already established in Scotland to help embed issues of fairness into government policymaking, as previously backed by business groups such as the CBI, Make UK, the Institute of Directors, and the Federation of Small Businesses, among others.

Business Green 25th Oct 2021 read more »

Two in three voters in the UK support tax rises to pay for measures to mitigate the climate crisis, exclusive new polling for The Independent has found. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is under pressure to avoid tax hikes from Conservative MPs sceptical of the government’s net zero plans as he prepares to deliver his Budget on Wednesday. But the idea of raising taxes to deal with the climate emergency has widespread support from the British public, a survey by Savanta ComRes has revealed.

Independent 24th Oct 2021 read more »

More than a third of companies believe that the chancellor should increase taxes to tackle greenhouse gases as part of “a carrot and stick” approach to driving the transition to net zero. A survey of more than 1,000 businesses by EY released days before Rishi Sunak delivers his third budget found that 39 per cent of respondents thought taxes should go up to raise the cost of emissions. Last week the government set out its blueprint for reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Analysis released by the Treasury showed that Britain faces a £37 billion-a-year black hole as revenues from fuel duty disappear.

Times 25th Oct 2021 read more »

High power prices are expected to continue into winter following a record-breaking third quarter in the UK. Wholesale power prices started the quarter high at £31.37/MWh, but continued to grow passing the £50.00/MWh milestone on 13 September before finishing the quarter at £72.01/MWh, according to analysis from EnAppSys. Day-ahead wholesale prices averaged at £126.14/MWh, up 69% from the previous record of £74.85/MWh set in just the previous quarter.

Current 22nd Oct 2021 read more »

Small businesses could force staff to work from home to save on energy bills. Companies consider closing offices during winter to save money on rocketing gas prices, according to survey.

Telegraph 25th Oct 2021 read more »

Research from Smart Energy GB, a smart meter company, found that 30 per cent of firms had considered temporarily closing their offices. “Small businesses are the beating heart of the British economy but it is clear concerns about energy use are affecting how many will continue to operate this winter,” said Iagan MacNeil, Smart Energy GB’s head of policy.

Times 25th Oct 2021 read more »