UK’s next PM likely to have weaker commitment to net-zero

Bloomberg

The UK’s next prime minister is likely to have a weaker commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions than Boris Johnson.
The outgoing British leader made cutting emissions a priority and sought leadership on the global stage by hosting the COP26 summit in Glasgow in November. But in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis caused by rising fuel and food prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, his party’s dedication to climate action is wavering before the nation even gets on track to reach its carbon goals.
Among the 10 contenders, Attorney General Suella Bravermen and former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch have signalled they would ditch the emissions target, arguing it’s to blame for high energy prices. Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi has said families shouldn’t have to pay the bill for green policies. Even Tom Tugendhat, who is seen as more centrist than many of his rivals in political terms, is backing renewable and nuclear energy without explicitly endorsing net-zero.
“There’s a hesitancy for any of the candidates to be seen as the green candidate,” said Ted Christie-Miller, head of carbon removals at BeZeroCarbon. Climate policies aren’t seen winning the votes of Conservative Party members, who will ultimately pick the new prime minister, he said.
Trade minister Penny Mordaunt, the second-favourite, has indicated she would repeal the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars introduced by Johnson, and promised to introduce an immediate 50% cut in value added tax on road fuel.
Voting for the candidates hasn’t yet started, and new rules setting a minimum threshold of support may weed out some of the fringe candidates, but greener Tories are already sounding the alarm.
On Monday, Zac Goldsmith, minister for the international environment, and Chris Skidmore, chairman of parliament’s all-party group on the environment, issued a warning to their colleagues that ditching net zero would be “electoral suicide.” Writing in the Daily Telegraph newspaper, they said climate change is a priority among voters in the so-called Red Wall, an area of the north of England that switched from Labour to Tory at the last election.