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This week, we’ve heard predictions from the Met OfficeThe probability of 1.5C heating exceedingly within five years is now at 50%
In some parts of the world, temperatures are reaching 50C. We’ve heard reports of 195 “carbon bombs”Each set to unleash a million tonnes of fossil fuel industry. CO2 emissionsIn the atmosphere.
Prince Charles, then – such an ardent advocate for environmental action – must have been scanning the pages of the Queen’s Speech in disbelief, as he was compelled to deliver a government-stamped rhetoric to the nation which failed to mention the word “climate” even once.
Now, we hear that the government has overspent its money net zeroA staggering quarter of one billion pounds was added to the budget. Just months after proudly trumpeting “cash” as one of his four flagship pledges day after day during Cop26, Boris Johnson has evidently filed the whole summit away in a dusty drawer, never to be seen or spoken of again. This crisis is now completely ignored by the Tories.
When we face a soaring cost of living, with bills spiralling out of control and pensioners travelling on buses all day just to keep warm – alongside an energy security crisis, while we in the UK currently have the Europe’s leakiest Homes – we need big, bold, positive solutions.
The most frustrating thing about all is that these solutions are staring at the prime minister in his face.
We need a retrofit revolution – a mass programme of heat pumps and insulation for 10 million homes designed to slash energy bills, reduce energy demand, and cut emissions while we’re at it.
To decarbonise our economy, and create thousands of well-paid green jobs across a range of sectors, including renewable energy and care work we need a Green New Deal.
And we need to shift away from the dangerous pursuit of endless economic growth at all costs, towards making wellbeing our main economic goal – of people, communities and our natural world.
These solutions can be expensive. We’re not ashamed to say that the Green Party’s retrofitting plan would cost £25bn a year, for 10 years. But while climate sceptics like Steve Baker wax lyrical about the “cost of net zero”, they conveniently omit the cost of not getting to net zero.
A recent report from the respected Institute for Government found that “the costs of failing to bring climate change under control would be much larger than those associated with decarbonisation”. Perhaps the most telling example of this is David Cameron’s decision to “cut the green crap”, which actually added £150 to every household energy bill, and cost the economy £8.3bn. People are worse off than before the end of onshore wind projects, subsidies for solar energy, and energy efficiency programs.
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And there’s a human cost, too. I dare Steve Baker or any other member of “Net Zero Watch” to speak to Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, whose own daughter died from air pollution on London’s South Circular – or the families of 180 people who perished in floods across Germany and western Europe last summer – and tell them we can’t tackle the Climate crisis because it’s too expensive.
What this week’s Queen’s Speech showed is that our government refuses to spend because it lacks vision, ideas, and a sense of purpose. Boris Johnson, a fanatical right-wing backbencher and arch-Thatcherite chancellor who believe in low taxes and low spending, is being held hostage.
“We all agree what needs to be done. We just need the courage to get on and do it.” For once, I agree with these wise words from our prime minister at Cop26 last November.
But six months on, and I’m still waiting.
Caroline Lucas, the MP for Brighton Pavilion, is the former leader of Green Party.
