Ian Hamilton (He/Him)

Environmental politics has resembled an arms race over the last decade as major economies
funnel billions into the green agenda in an attempt to reach net zero. But in the UK, green
politics now appears to be in decline.

Ironically, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s announcement that his party would be ditching
its policy of spending £28bn a year on green investment came on the same week that the
EU’s climate change service, Copernicus, revealed that global warming has exceeded 1.5C
across an entire year.

The flagship policy, which was first announced by Labour in 2021, is now expected to
involve spending on green investment of around £4.7bn per year after labour pledged to
spend £23.7bn over the parliamentary term.

These major cuts to green investment from the Labour party have come following months of
hesitancy and dithering over the details of the plan, leading to Tory attacks regarding the
fiscal responsibility of the mass spending involved.

Citing high interest rates, caused by the Truss government mini budget which sent financial
markets into chaos as the reason for his U-turn, the decision simply marks another example of
the lack of interest in the green agenda by UK politicians. Alongside Rishi Sunak’s delay to
major net zero targets last year, the reality of the costs of going green have become
detrimental to such a pressing cause.

Labour’s green investment plan was described by MPs as a way of not only saving the planet
but also as a boost to the UK economy, kick starting economic growth and productivity.

In Scotland alone, Starmer had promised that Labour’s policy would lead to the creation of
50,000 jobs in the renewable energy sector over the next decade as Labour pushes towards its
zero-carbon electricity target of 2030.

The SNP Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn has described the decision as damaging to
economic growth and Scottish families’ pockets. Speaking to the National, Flynn said: “Sir
Keir Starmer must come clean on the jobs and investment Scotland will lose as a result of his damaging decision to slash green energy funding.

At a time when countries around the world are pumping money into green energy, it makes
no sense for the UK to cut back. It’s economically illiterate and a major setback for
Scotland.”

The timing of the U-turn comes as Labour currently has a 22-point lead over the
Conservatives, according to polling by Ipsos Mori. The early announcement may help
Starmer avoid not only committing his party to the difficult task of a large spending pledge at
an economically unviable time but also avoid a politically trap. It is likely the Conservatives
would suggest Labour may borrow or raise taxes to fund their spending ambition. However,
yet another U-turn opens Starmer to attack on his indecisive positions and lack of clear
policies.

Reaching net zero was always going to be a costly process for government and citizen but a
reduction in targets and action can’t be slowed down simply because the UK “is ahead of
every other country in the world” as Sunak has championed.

UK greenhouse gas emissions have fallen faster than any other G7 country since 1990,
However, the UK may not be as far ahead on emissions as it is claimed. Despite reducing
emissions by 50%, the UK was more carbon intensive than nations such as France which
have only reduced emissions by 24%. France currently has lower carbon emissions and has
typically relied on nuclear power which means it hasn’t required the same level of reduction
as the UK.

According to figures by the CCC (Climate Change Committee), reaching net zero by 2050
will take £1.4trn or £50bn a year by the end of this decade. Although 70 percent of people in
the UK support net zero targets, the politics behind the green transition has become a wedge
issue between the two major parties. As is expected, many voters turn away from green
policies when they affect their finances and the same appears to happening to Labour.