Saturday, October 30, 2021
Government actions on climate change contradict their words
The Independent quotes Boris Johnson this morning as suggesting that civilisation could collapse “like the Roman Empire” unless runaway climate change is stopped. And yet as I pointed out here, his government's recent budget scrapped a planned fuel duty rise for the twelfth year in a row, effecctively offering a subsidy for drivers of polluting vehicles, and reduced air passenger duty (APD) on flights between airports in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, adding to dangerous emissions.
The Independent also points out that new analysis has found that the post-Brexit shift in trade links away from the UK’s EU neighbours to far-flung partners like Australia, China and the US could almost double Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, an increase in annual emissions from UK-linked shipping of 88 per cent.
It is little wonder that Friends of the Earth have said this is further proof that the government is “missing the mark on all counts” over the climate implications of its trade policies.
Boris Johnson can conjure up as many classical allusions as he wishes, but without action his words are just more hot air.
The Independent also points out that new analysis has found that the post-Brexit shift in trade links away from the UK’s EU neighbours to far-flung partners like Australia, China and the US could almost double Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions from shipping, an increase in annual emissions from UK-linked shipping of 88 per cent.
It is little wonder that Friends of the Earth have said this is further proof that the government is “missing the mark on all counts” over the climate implications of its trade policies.
Boris Johnson can conjure up as many classical allusions as he wishes, but without action his words are just more hot air.
