Environmental experts dismayed by details of Johnson’s ‘New Deal’. Critics say PMs promise to ‘build back greener’ is not delivered by plans revealed so far. His promise to “build back greener” was greeted with dismay by environmental experts, who were concerned that the climate crisis receives scant attention in what the government is revealing so far of its plans. Most of the spending announcements will focus on the NHS, education and improvements for town centres. There will be £100m for roads and £10m for rail in Manchester, as well as £900m on unspecified “shovel-ready” local growth projects in England. Tree-planting is set for a boost, with Johnson re-affirming plans to plant more than 75,000 acres a year by 2025, with £40m for local conservation projects creating 3,000 jobs and safeguarding 2,000. Ed Matthew, of the Climate Coalition, said: “The only thing Rooseveltian about this plan is that it belongs in the fossil fuel age. There is very little announced today which will do anything to accelerate the transition to a zero carbon economy. The prime minister has to back up his rhetoric on a green recovery with action to prioritise green investment. Future generations will not forgive a government that fails to use this opportunity to build a safer climate for us all.” Tanya Steele, chief executive of conservation group WWF, added: “We are in the midst of a climate and nature crisis, and these lukewarm plans address only part of our nation’s much-needed recovery. The prime minister is out of touch with the scale of the challenges.”
Guardian 30th June 2020 read more »
The US is to join with other major powers including China, India and the EU in formulating plans for a global green recovery from the coronavirus crisis, in the only major international summit on the climate emergency this year. The idea of a green recovery to prevent a dangerous rebound in greenhouse gas emissions to above pre-Covid-19 levels has been gathering steam, but few governments have yet committed to plans. If they fail to do so in the next few months, the economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis risks locking in high carbon emissions that would lead to climate catastrophe.
Guardian 29th March 2020 read more »
Boris Johnson will promise today to lead Britain out of the coronavirus crisis with an economic recovery plan as bold as Franklin D Roosevelt’s New Deal. The prime minister is announcing a £5 billion programme of accelerated capital spending on hospitals, roads, rail, prisons, courts, schools and high streets to help to sustain a job market ravaged by the pandemic.
Times 30th June 2020 read more »
Today, the prime minister is expected to make a series of announcements on the “green recovery”. I am sure it will be optimistic but it will not be sufficient. Major investment from the government is absolutely necessary, but it must be backed up in the coming weeks and months by a clear roadmap to net zero by 2050, which tells the public and businesses what to expect, when, and who is going to pay for it. There must also be clear, greener alternatives available, and households need help with the upfront costs of switching their energy supply or improving the energy efficiency of their home. This week, the Zero Carbon Commission published its interim recommendations on carbon pricing for every sector in the economy, between now and 2030. They offer a phased roadmap that creates mechanisms to protect British industry, and gives advance warning of charges to households so they can shift their behaviour. The proposals would raise the funds for innovations such as hydrogen and carbon capture to decarbonise our existing energy supply.
Times 30th June 2020 read more »
After weeks of speculation, Boris Johnson is set to outline the fundamentals of the UK’s Covid-19 recovery plan on Tuesday (30 June). Here, we round up eight of the specific measures which green economy experts are urging for inclusion.
Edie 29th June 2020 read more »
More than 11,000 people have signed up to take part in a virtual lobbying of MPs to call for a green-focused recovery to the coronavirus pandemic that tackles the climate and nature crises. The mass lobby, co-ordinated by the Climate Coalition whose members include the National Trust, WWF, the Women’s Institute and Oxfam, comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to set out plans for boosting the economy as the lockdown eases further. As constituents head online to lobby their MPs on Tuesday about action on climate change, polling for the coalition found 73% agree the “time is now” to call for the Government to invest in a healthier, fairer and greener world.
Energy Voice 30th June 2020 read more »
The government must spend an extra £14bn a year to meet its climate targets while simultaneously reducing support for initiatives which increase greenhouse gas emissions, a think tank report warns. Investment is urgently required for low-carbon transport, more efficient buildings, conservation and restoration of nature, and for industrial infrastructure, according to Green Alliance. The biggest investment gap, of £8.7bn per year, is in low carbon transport, the organisation said. “If the government were to reallocate the average annual investment committed to new road building towards low carbon transport infrastructure, it could already close 60 per cent of that gap,” the report’s authors said.
Independent 29th June 2020 read more »
