2 November 2022

Commenting on the U-turn by Rishi Sunak, who now plans to attend the COP27 climate summit in Egypt, Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said:

“This is a welcome U-turn brought about by public pressure, though it is perhaps understandable the prime minister might be nervous about showing his face. 

“During the UK’s presidency of COP26 the Tory government has introduced new North Sea oil and gas licences, kept the possibility of a new coal mine in Cumbria alive and continued to roll out airport and road expansion. And Sunak himself has removed his climate minister from cabinet and wants to block onshore wind [1].

“Global leadership must begin at home and we need to see a clear commitment from this government to keep fossil fuels in the ground. This means ditching oil, coal and gas for good in favour of renewables and a nationwide programme of home insulation to cut both emissions and energy bills. 

“Sunak also needs to show he is willing to act on the global stage by putting ‘loss and damage’ and finance for poorer countries most impacted by the climate emergency at the top of the agenda. Regrettably, he will arrive in Egypt under a cloud, with the UK having failed to make a promised £260 million climate finance payment [2]. 

“With the UN warning that there is no credible pathway to keeping temperatures within the 1.5C limit [3], this year’s COP negotiations are more important than ever. The UN says that only an urgent transformation of society and our economy can avoid disastrous climate impacts. We need the UK government to rise to this challenge, show global leadership and help create a more secure and sustainable society and economy at home and abroad.” 

Notes

1

Rishi Sunak U-turns on Truss’s onshore wind planning reforms | The Independent

2

UK criticised for failing to pay $300m in promised climate funds ahead of Cop27 | The Guardian 

3 

Climate crisis: UN finds ‘no credible pathway to 1.5C in place’ | The Guardian

For more information or to arrange an interview contact the press office on press@greenparty.org.uk or call 0203 691 9401

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31 October 2022

As speculation continues to grow on whether Rishi Sunak will bow to mounting pressure and attend this year’s COP27 climate talks in Egypt after all, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay, said:

“Despite being pushed into attending, if he does ultimately go to the COP27 climate talks, we should welcome this news. With the UK holding the COP26 presidency, attending to hand the baton on to Egypt is absolutely essential to demonstrate the UK’s commitment to building on last year’s climate talks. 

“Rishi Sunak must show global leadership. The UK government must push for real finance for the loss and damage being experienced by poorer countries that are on the front line of climate breakdown. At home there must be urgent action to address both the climate emergency and the cost of living crisis. That should begin with a mass home insulation programme to cut energy bills and carbon emissions and ramping up renewable energy generation. We also need to phase out fossil fuels. More North Sea oil and gas licences [1] takes us in the wrong direction and is the exact opposite of the kind of global leadership needed.

“With the UN warning that there is no credible pathway to keeping temperatures within the 1.5C limit [2], this year’s COP negotiations are more important than ever. The UN says that only an urgent transformation of society and our economy can avoid disastrous climate impacts. If our government rises to this challenge we can show global leadership and create a better society at the same time. 

“Reversing the attacks on nature and restoring the natural environment, funding farmers to manage land for wildlife, good quality and affordable public transport, warmer homes, cheaper energy bills: the policies we need to tackle the climate emergency can create real improvements to people’s everyday lives.”

Notes

1. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/oct/07/uk-offers-new-north-sea-oil-and-gas-licences-despite-climate-concerns

2. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/27/climate-crisis-un-pathway-1-5-c 

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27 October 2022

The Green Party has called for a tougher windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas companies to help ease the cost of living crisis for households across the country, after Shell announced its profits had more than doubled between July and September [1].

Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said:

“It is obscene to see oil and gas giants doubling their profits while millions of households up and down the country slip into fuel poverty as a result of these companies’ sheer greed.

“It is beyond comprehension that the government seems happy to allow these huge corporations to not only wreck the climate but to profit off the back of the cost of living crisis which they themselves have contributed to.

“The windfall tax Rishi Sunak introduced when he was Chancellor was a step in the right direction, but it includes loopholes which allows oil companies to avoid tax by investing even more in fossil fuels. 

“Not only does this allow companies to avoid paying billions, it actually encourages the very activities that are causing so much damage and misery right now.

“We urge the government to remove the loopholes immediately and backdate the windfall tax to January, raising more money to help people through this cost of living crisis and starting the transition away from fossil fuels to a cleaner, greener and fairer future.”

ENDS

Notes

1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63409687

For more information or to arrange an interview contact the press office on press@greenparty.org.uk or call 0203 691 9401

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25 October 2022

The Green Party has called for a policy reset to match the Cabinet changes announced by new PM Rishi Sunak.

Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“Jacob Rees Mogg was a disaster in the short time he was Business Secretary, backing fracking and opening up the North Sea to more oil and gas exploration. Environment Secretary Ranil Jayawardena was at best anonymous.

“New Business Secretary Grant Shapps and new Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey have the chance to reset the agenda, and they must take it.

“The removal of COP26 President Alok Sharma from his Cabinet position does not bode well when the government should be planning for playing a full part in COP27.

“What matters most is that the government turns away from its obsession with promoting new fossil fuels, and stops tearing up regulations protecting nature.

“It must promote renewable energy and support people to insulate their homes with a funded national programme that will cut greenhouse emissions and energy bills.” 

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24 October 2022

The Green Party has called on new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to put the country first and call a general election.

Responding to the news that Sunak has become the leader of the Conservative Party, Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay said:

“The country cannot afford more divisive infighting amongst a few elitist Conservatives whose policies are failing people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis. 

“Even Conservative Party MPs and members have been excluded from the vote this time.

“People need to be democratically involved in finding solutions. This must include a General Election, and the opportunity to elect more Greens committed to a more equal society and solving the environmental crisis.

“The Conservatives are responsible for plunging this country into an economic and political crisis. It’s clear to the entire country that they are simply incapable of getting us out of it.”

The Greens have highlighted Sunak’s terrible record on tackling inequality and addressing the climate crisis as two major reasons why he will not be able to lead the country out of the crises it currently faces:

• While chancellor, Sunak blocked a nationwide programme of insulation to replace the failed green homes grant that would save people money and reduced energy consumption;

• His windfall tax on oil and gas companies was full of loopholes, failing to raise the sums needed and it actually rewarded the same companies for investing more in fossil fuels;

• As the UK prepared to host the COP26 UN climate summit, he signed off on devastating cuts to overseas aid that left the countries most impacted by the environmental crisis without the money to tackle it.

Ramsay said:

“The Tories want to impose the horrors of Austerity 2.0 in their Halloween Budget, but have no electoral mandate for doing this. Austerity means more cuts to vital public services and more suffering for people across the country.

“The government simply cannot govern under this Prime Minister – it is unfit for office. A General Election will allow people to have their say and vote for policies to reduce the cost of living and protect our environment.

“The Green Party stands for a fairer, greener country. The way out of the crisis is to do the opposite of what the government is planning. 

“We would reduce inequality through progressive taxation, including a Wealth Tax, and raise money through windfall taxes on the companies making super profits during this cost-of-living crisis.

“We would use the money raised to make sure people can afford to keep warm and fund a national home insulation programme.

“We would reduce inequality by asking those with the deepest pockets to pay more tax to help fund quality public services for all.

“And, we would invest in the kind of economy that puts people and the planet before greed and super-profits for giant corporations.

“Now is the time for people to decide the country’s future.”

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