The Conservative party admits its new energy plan would increase pollution. Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho confirmed this fact. She said the policy would cause a domestic emissions rise. The Tories plan to scrap the UK’s net zero law. They also want to expand North Sea oil and gas production. Therefore, this domestic emissions rise is an expected outcome.
She argued the current net zero target became a religion. Also, she claimed it increased electricity bills for British families. She also said it made climate change worse globally. The Conservative plan focuses on lowering energy costs. Consequently, a domestic emissions rise is a trade-off they accept.
The party would repeal the Climate Change Act of 2008. This law legally requires steady reductions in UK emissions. Coutinho specifically addressed the projected domestic emissions rise. She argued global emissions might not necessarily increase. The UK currently counts only pollution within its borders. This accounting method ignores emissions from imported goods.
Coutinho questioned the current decarbonisation path. She said a better approach is still up for grabs. However, the Conservatives provide no global emissions plan. They also offer no method for measuring foreign pollution. The World Meteorological Organization reports a record CO2 rise. This context makes the domestic emissions rise more significant.
The government’s climate advisers recently published a report. The Climate Change Committee confirmed UK emissions are falling. They are now fifty percent below nineteen ninety levels. The data also shows imported emissions have recently increased. However, the overall reduction in UK pollution still outweighs this. The domestic emissions rise would reverse this long-term progress.
The net zero target became law under a Tory government. Political consensus on the issue has since broken down. The Labour government remains committed to clean power. They aim for ninety-five percent clean electricity by twenty-thirty. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband pledged to lower bills significantly. The Tory plan presents voters with a clear alternative.
A Labour spokesperson criticized the Conservative position. They accused the Tories of failing during the cost-of-living crisis. The spokesperson said the plan straps Britain to fossil fuels. They argued clean energy is the only way to gain control. The debate highlights a major philosophical divide on energy security. The admitted domestic emissions rise is a central point of contention.
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