28 July 2022

The Green Party has called on the Conservative leadership candidates to commit to ensuring that the UK lives within its environmental means in the next ten years.

As Earth Overshoot Day [1], the date when humanity has used all the biological resources that Earth regenerates in a year, falls the week after the UK experienced extreme heat caused by climate change [2], the Greens have called on Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak to place as much urgency on the climate and ecological emergencies as they are in discussing economic growth.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“Just last week the UK witnessed the hottest temperatures on record and the consequences of climate disruption became clear for all to see.

“As wildfires raged and people lost everything as their homes were burnt to the ground, the two candidates to become our next Prime Minister were talking more about economic growth rather than tackling the climate crisis.

“Unfortunately, successive governments have for too long focused on economic growth at all costs, without acknowledging that it’s the quality of our economy that matters, not just the quantity. A narrow focus solely on economic growth will exacerbate the climate crisis and worsen social inequalities.

“On Earth Overshoot Day, I am calling on the Conservative leadership candidates to commit to broadening their focus from economic growth and show how they will ensure that the UK lives within our planetary means within the next ten years.

“Our government should be working across the board to ensure we’re leading the way on pushing back Earth Overshoot Day further every year.

“This requires a shift away from chasing economic growth only, and instead measuring the success of our economy by how it maximises people’s happiness without exceeding planetary boundaries. It also means policies to tackle the scourge of inequality and ensure we share the earth’s resources fairly.”

ENDS

Notes

1

https://www.overshootday.org/

2

https://news.sky.com/story/uk-heatwave-temperature-hits-39-1c-in-surrey-a-new-record-12654770

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27 July 2022

Responding to a report by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants, which has found that air pollution is likely to increase the risk of developing dementia [1], Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said:

“The true extent of just how damaging air pollution is to the health of people and planet continues to become clearer and clearer, yet both Labour and Conservative politicians seem determined to block action on so many levels.

“In Bristol, where I am a councillor, the Labour mayor has dithered and delayed for six years since a Green motion was passed to implement a clean air zone.

“As this report shows, this inaction is seriously impacting peoples’ health and ultimately costing lives.

“Air pollution is a matter of social justice. And if the government and other regional leaders really wanted to take action on this then they would be seriously investing in public transport as well as walking and cycling infrastructure – doing all they could to help people get out of their cars and use cleaner forms of transport instead.”

ENDS

Notes

1

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/27/air-pollution-is-likely-to-raise-dementia-risk-find-uk-government-experts

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25 July 2022

Responding to shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves announcing this morning that Labour will not support bringing public services back into public ownership [1], Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay:

“It is depressing to see Labour abandoning their traditional support for public ownership of essential services at a time when this is so popular amongst voters. Their attempt to compete with the Tories will see ordinary people and the planet pay the cost as a result.

“It’s clear for all to see that the privatisation of essential services like energy, transport and water has served only to line the pockets of shareholders, rather than ensure that these services we all depend on are reliable and affordable.

“The Green Party believes it is essential that public services are publicly owned, both in order to guarantee the level of service required to meet society’s needs and help tackle the climate crisis, and to ensure good pay and conditions of those working within them.

“The fact that Labour has abandoned these beliefs shows just how far Keir Starmer is prepared to drag the party away from representing the best interests of people and planet in order to gain power at any cost.”

ENDS

Notes

1

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-public-ownership-nationalise-reeves-starmer-b2130382.html

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20 July 2022

Reacting to the last knock-out round in the Tory leadership contest, resulting in Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss going forward to a vote by Conservative members, co-leader of the Green Party Adrian Ramsay said:

“Finally we are left with two candidates, after seemingly endless hours given over to a contest whose result will be determined by a tiny unrepresentative minority of the population.

“Both have voted for cuts to welfare benefits, against free school meals and for harsher asylum policies. And both seem more interested in pandering to the fossil fuel lobby and climate sceptics in their own ranks than actually addressing the climate crisis. A pledge on committing to net zero by 2050 had to be extracted from them under duress.

“We need firm leadership on cutting emissions and making sure the country is adequately prepared for future extreme weather events. And we need a politics of compassion towards the most vulnerable in society, not a competition in nastiness.

“In recent months we’ve seen public trust in politics undermined and a dereliction of duty in addressing the cost of living and climate crises. This government has lost its legitimacy. We need a general election.”

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20 July 2022

Responding to the announcement that the government has granted development consent for the new Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk [1], Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay, who is parliamentary candidate for Suffolk, said:

“The country needs investment in renewable energy and insulation at scale to address the cost of living and climate crises, not outdated and unproven technology that will be a drain on bill payers for the next 75 years. The government is dumping the £20bn price tag onto people who are already struggling with the cost of living crisis. 

“This outdated design is also far too slow to help solve our climate and energy emergencies. The stated development time is 12-15 years but we have little confidence in the timescale given the current two year construction delay at Hinkley Point. Renewables can be delivered far quicker. 

“This decision is politically driven by a misguided energy security policy, which calls for a massive boost in nuclear energy. There are much cheaper and less damaging renewable technologies available to supply the power we need.”

Notes

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-62235221 

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