Rebecca Long Bailey MP,
Labour's Shadow Secretary for Business,
Energy and Industrial
Strategy, commenting on reports that the Government is
set to announce a target to cut
all emissions by 2050, said:
“This announcement
comes as the Government slashes support for small scale
renewables, scales back support for electric vehicles in a move
described by industry as ‘astounding’, and is slammed by a
leading climate scientist for its pursuit of fracking. This
gaping contradiction is no accident – it is hypocrisy of the
highest order, and an affront to those communities on which this
government has forced the fracking
industry.
“Labour
is serious about achieving net zero emissions before 2050,
announced at our conference three weeks ago. That is why we are
developing serious immediate policies to dramatically decarbonise
energy and insulate four million homes as part of a green jobs
revolution.
“It would be tempting to say the Government is
playing catch up – but it’s not true. The fact is, it is too
in hock to its donors from the oil and gas industries to
take the action needed."
Ends
Notes to
editors
The Government is
planning to further slash support for small scale
renewables.
This month
the Government scrapped incentives to buy new hybrids
and cuts those for electric vehicles, which industry
described as "astounding".
James
Hansen, a world leading climate scientist, said today that the
Government's fracking programme shows they are joining Trump in
ignoring science. Hansen has written to Energy Minister warning that this will lead to a
"climate breakdown".
