Prime Minister Sunak criticized previous carbon reduction plans as just "to grab headlines" and too costly, so he decided to postpone them for now.
On September 20, at the Prime Minister's official residence at No. 10 Downing Street in London, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stood on a podium with the slogan "Long-term decisions for a brighter future" and dropped a shock bomb.
He announced that the policy of banning the sale of fuel vehicles would be postponed for five years, to 2035, because this goal has brought "unacceptable costs" to the people. The British Prime Minister's policy U-turn, or some say policy regression, triggered a comprehensive campaign from climate movement groups, political opponents and industry.
On the same day, King Charles III, known as the "Climate King", made his first trip to France to promote climate financing and biodiversity; Sunak's own British climate minister was attending the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit in New York. As soon as the news came out, the two of them felt extremely embarrassed.
Sunak: Replacing gas-powered cars with electric ones will shrink the economy
Sunak blasted on the podium that Britain's past carbon reduction plans were just to "grab headlines" but were poorly considered and not fully debated.
He said that in order for people to replace their old fuel vehicles with electric vehicles, they must be convinced that this is the right and affordable thing to do. Faced with rising prices and a shrinking economy, "at least now, you as a consumer should make the choice, rather than the government forcing you to do so." He shouted to voters.
Sunak and the Conservatives face a general election next year, with polls currently showing them trailing rival Labor. Therefore, some people questioned that he was putting on a show for re-election to please voters, but this was denied.
He said that the UK was "far ahead of the rest of the world" in its green economic transformation, suggesting that the UK could afford to slow down. But he reiterated that he would not abandon the 2050 net-zero emissions goal, but would use a "more pragmatic, more appropriate and more practical approach."
UK progress on first climate target only 46%
However, there are only 7 years left before the UK’s first climate target – a 68% reduction in emissions by 2030 (based on 1990) – and the current progress bar is at 46%.
In June 2023, the British government's climate adviser "Climate Change Committee" released a report, criticizing officials for making too slow progress in achieving net-zero emissions targets and fulfilling fossil fuel commitments, and "hesitating to fully implement key commitments", leaving it Loss of confidence in governments delivering net zero targets.
Sunak's decision in July to approve new North Sea oil and gas drilling also led critics to question his commitment to climate targets.
Sunak said the government would build more wind and nuclear power, invest in new green technologies and adopt new ways to protect nature to achieve its net zero commitments.
News of the postponement of the ban on fuel vehicles triggered criticism from colleagues and opponents, pointing out that it delayed inevitable sacrifices but caused mankind to miss a key window to control carbon emissions. Research points out that once warming exceeds the critical point, it will bring more catastrophic floods, heat waves, wildfires, sea level rise, and even the risk of cross-species virus transmission.
There are also criticisms that this move hurts the UK's position as a global leader in green transformation and sends the wrong message to investors, consumers and industry. COP26 chairman Alok Sharma, also a Conservative, warned: "If we break the political consensus on the environment and climate action... it will be extremely harmful."
Even car manufacturers are opposed to delaying the progress of electric vehicles
British car manufacturers also jumped out to publicly oppose it, accusing the government of changing orders overnight.
Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said in a public statement that the British automotive industry has invested billions of pounds in electric vehicles in order to meet the government's policy goal of banning the sale of fuel vehicles by 2030. Build new factories, new battery factories, and new production lines. The government must send a "clear and consistent message" before consumers are willing to switch to electric vehicles. "Confusion and uncertainty will only deter them."
"Our businesses need three things from the British government: ambition, commitment and consistency. Postponing the 2030 target will damage all three." Lisa Brankin, president of Ford Motor UK, said.
※ This article is reprinted from "CSR@天下" with authorization. The original title "Policy retrogression, the British Prime Minister announced a five-year extension of the ban on the sale of fuel vehicles" does not apply to the CC co-creation authorization terms.
Source:
Environmental Information Center
