Energy Strategy 'comprehensively fails' with Johnson easily distracted and Sunak an active block, says Greenpeace

Thursday, 7 April 2022 00:01

The government’s new energy strategy, designed as an urgent response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the cost of living crisis has been published. At a time when households are facing unprecedented energy bills and the UK needs a quick and effective fix, which also addresses the urgency of the climate crisis, this strategy: Prioritises new nuclear, an eye-wateringly expensive and unreliable form of energy; Backs new oil and gas licences, which take on...Request free trial

The government’s new energy strategy, designed as an urgent response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the cost of living crisis has been published.

At a time when households are facing unprecedented energy bills and the UK needs a quick and effective fix, which also addresses the urgency of the climate crisis, this strategy:

Prioritises new nuclear, an eye-wateringly expensive and unreliable form of energy;

Backs new oil and gas licences, which take on average 28 years to start production and will do nothing to lower bills - against guidance from its own advisors, the latest IPCC report and the UN Secretary General;

Offers completely inadequate policies and funding for energy efficiency and heat pumps - the quickest and smartest solutions to get off gas and tackle high bills.

Fails to unlock critical planning barriers for onshore wind, which is supported by 80% of the public.

Panders to fracking obsessives who aren’t up to speed with the realities of 21st century energy challenges, through confirming a review into fracking by the British Geological Society

This strategy comes in the same week that a landmark report from world scientists has emphasised the need to reduce how much energy we use, by cutting energy waste, and the need to swap harmful fossil fuels for easy-to-deploy solutions like renewables if we want to stand a chance of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees. The UN Secretary General said on Monday that investment in new fossil fuels amounted to ‘political and economic madness’.

Rebecca Newsom, head of politics at Greenpeace UK, said: “This strategy comprehensively fails to stand up to Putin’s violence, to take the sting out of soaring energy bills, or take control of the spiralling climate crisis.

“The government could have chosen to power ahead with quick, cost-effective and fair solutions like taxing oil and gas companies’ mega-profits, investing more to cut energy waste from homes, and unblocking planning barriers for cheap and popular onshore wind.

“Instead, while there are some improvements on renewables targets, they have prioritised slow solutions, dishing out rewards to vested interests in the nuclear and the oil and gas industries, which won't tackle the cost of living crisis or reduce our dependence on gas.

“Johnson seems easily distracted from the straightforward solutions, while Sunak appears to be an active block. Does Sunak not get it, or does he not care? It’s hard to know which is worse.”