Green Party reaction to fossil fuel lobbying for carbon capture and storage

Commenting on reports that the £22bn in subsidies awarded to carbon capture and storage projects followed a sharp increase in lobbying by the fossil fuel industry, co-leader of the Green Party, Adiran Ramsay MP said:

“Revelations that this £22 billion bung to carbon capture and storage followed extensive lobbying reveals that it is the government that has been truly captured here – by the fossil fuel industry.

“Labour ditched its pledge for £28bn investment in the transition to the green economy, yet they can stump up £22bn for an unproven technology which provides an excuse for fossil fuel companies to carry on polluting.

“This money would be far better spent investing in reducing energy demand through a mass home insulation programme, in green energy and upgrading the grid – and on real carbon capture through restoring woodlands, peatlands and wetlands at scale. 

“Throwing billions into such a black hole rather than into the green transition makes no sense at all.”