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“The Paris agreement shows green Tories are not extinct”
Last week saw 175 nations sign the Paris agreement – the deal on climate change that emerged from the crunch UN summit at the end of last year.
While this may have been lost underneath news of Brexit campaigning and US president Barack Obama’s intervention (something prime minister David Cameron must be chuffed about), it remains a significant milestone and shows that the green Tory is far from extinct.
Energy minister Lord Bourne signed the official document, and committing to the deal is something that energy secretary Amber Rudd – one of the green Tories – heartily welcomes.
“The global deal reached in Paris was a significant milestone in tackling climate change, helping to safeguard our long-term economic security and giving clear direction to businesses as we transition to a low-carbon economy,” she said.
But bearing in mind the tumultuous political climate at the moment – not least within the Conservative Party – Rudd was not going to waste the opportunity to promote the ‘In’ campaign.
The energy secretary said that because of its position in the EU, the UK “played a key role in securing the deal” and that it was in the interest of British families and businesses.
What is clear, is that every opportunity between now and 23 June will be seized upon to make the case for – or against – the UK’s membership of the EU. The green Tories, such as Rudd, are likely to be pushing the cause of the Britain Stronger In Europe campaign.
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