| By Verena Sepp After birthing the Industrial Revolution and contributing a significant share of historical global warming emissions, the UK evolved into a world leader on climate policies in recent decades. The UK was the first major economy to create a national climate law and for many years did a better job than most rich countries on cutting emissions. Yet that green drive seems to have been lost with the current government's agenda — from diluted climate commitments to the approval of new oil and gas licenses. The future of the UK as a green pioneer is one of the many issues at stake in the country's general election on July 4.  Photographer: Jason Alden/Bloomberg Before the voting starts, Bloomberg Green's Zero podcast team is listening back to recent interviews with guests who have answered tough questions like: Why has the British Conservative party lost green visionaries? What exactly is "hindcasting" and why should the UK climate watchdog do more of it? And is there a moral imperative in the country's green policy? Here are some recent episodes you might have missed. Subscribe to Zero on Apple or Spotify to get new episodes each Thursday. Why backsliding can backfireThe Conservative Party was once a driving force behind a greener Britain, but things have changed. Among the climate policy rollbacks over the past couple of years, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he would delay by five years, to 2035, a plan banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. Yet there was one move in particular that caused former Conservative minister Chris Skidmore to quit the party and politics as a whole. In January, Sunak introduced a law allowing new oil and gas drilling licenses. Considering the threats climate change poses to the world, Skidmore concluded his former party was now "endangering people's lives." Speaking with Zero host Akshat Rathi at the Climate Impact Summit in London in May, he explained why the Conservatives' new strategy to rally against green action has backfired and why the world needs a bold climate policy to reach net zero emissions. Listen here: Climate Apathy Cost Conservatives in the UK a Longtime Cheerleader Between watchdog and partnerThe UK became a global green leader with the Climate Change Act of 2008. As part of the legislative package, the government created the Climate Change Committee, which still plays a role in providing independent assessments of the country's progress on emissions targets. After six years as CCC chief executive, Chris Stark stepped down in April. Stark told the Zero podcast that one of the most dangerous hazards the CCC must avoid is crossing lines between advice and advocacy. He also warned the UK stands to loose a lot of the upside that comes with the energy transition if it doesn't stick to its climate commitments. "Other countries will beat us at this if we don't get at it," Stark said on the episode. "We cannot seem to see that it's happening. The transition is underway, and the biggest risk to us is that we miss out." Listen here: Inside the Climate Watchdog Holding the UK Government to Account Crisis-proof climate actionWhen Liz Truss began her premiership in September 2022, one of her first actions was to review the UK's net zero goal — a key part of the Climate Change Act. Bryony Worthington, a member of the House of Lords and an author of the act, thinks that step wasn't a bad idea. After all, the UK has been put through a lot of stress since the law passed in 2008: There's been a financial crisis, Brexit, multiple prime ministers and a pandemic-led recession. Russia's attack on Ukraine sent energy bills soaring in 2022. Inflation has also made reaching climate goals harder. "It's not a bad thing for us to keep asking ourselves: Are we doing this in the most efficient way possible?" On this episode Worthington explains why she's convinced that the UK's climate targets will remain in place — and may even become more aggressive. Listen here: How to Crisis-Proof Climate Action New episodes of Zero are published each week on Thursdays. To get the latest straight to your phone, subscribe on Apple or Spotify.
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment