Sunak is following a scorched earth approach to climate
The Scottish Greens are accusing the UK Prime Minister of leaving a scorched earth for future generations after a King’s Speech in which climate action was ripped up in favour of drilling for more oil and gas.
Scottish Greens climate spokesperson Mark Ruskell MSP branded it a “polluters’ charter” and a missed opportunity for advancing the renewables sector and tackling high energy bills.
Mr Ruskell said: “The Prime Minister seems determined to follow a scorched earth approach to our climate and with this polluter’s charter his UK Government is failing in its duty to protect people from harm.
“Their short-sighted actions can only make climate breakdown worse, and will continue to do so at the expense of future generations unless they can be prevented.
“There was nothing in this speech to suggest he is taking the climate crisis seriously, but everything for oil and gas firms to be jubilant about, when the focus could have been on advancing our renewables sector.
“Onshore wind, solar and other clean forms of energy can address high energy bills and help with the cost of living crisis by reducing costs for homes and businesses, the complete opposite of drilling for more fossil fuels.
“Now, with COP28 now just weeks away, the eyes of the world will be on climate again, and the UK is fast becoming a pariah state. This government must be held accountable.”
“With a General Election coming, every vote, every campaign, and every voice of reason will count in bringing an end to this Tory reign of chaos.
“The Scottish Government has made progress on climate. We are on the cusp of delivering a generational shift in clean home heating that will lead the UK, we have record investment in nature and biodiversity, habit forming initiatives for getting people out of vehicles and onto public transport and active travel, and significant work on developing our renewable energy capabilities as part of a Just Transition that can lead the world.
“Our climate plan has to be the defining strategy of a generation, to take bold and urgent action across all sectors with policies on how we lessen the impacts of the climate crisis, prepare to mitigate the looming storm, and inform societal change as quickly as is practical.
“But the UK Government, or the next, must reverse this long and lamentable slew of climate wrecking proposals to help support those ambitions too.”
