Spending review ‘an insult’ to climate change agenda

The government’s commitment of just £30 million towards net-zero projects over the next year has been branded as an “insult”, with warnings it could lead to a public backlash.

Announcing the spending review today (4 September), chancellor of the exchequer Sajid Javid insisted the new funding for decarbonisation programmes showed the government was “stepping up our leadership on climate change”.

However, critics pointed to a mismatch between the government’s pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050 and the “minuscule” amount announced, which was described as “enough to fund one local project”.

Dr Alan Whitehead, Labour’s energy spokesman, told Utility Week: “There seemed to be a genuine commitment from the previous administration to support the net-zero target by 2050. We announced a climate emergency. Then when it comes to the spending review, all that is allocated is £30 million, which is an insult to all the people who worked so hard to get that target on the books. The chancellor talked about the importance of reaching net-zero, but they are empty words. He couldn’t even bring himself to say the figure in his statement.

“The IPCC has said we have 12 years to act on climate change and the government has essentially wasted one of those years.

“The message is that we can forget about meaningful action on climate change for the next year. This is at a crucial time when we should be investing in projects for carbon capture storage, low carbon heating and transport.”

Asked what the department for business, energy and climate change (BEIS) should prioritise with the £30 million, Whitehead echoed shadow chancellor John McDonnell’s opinion that the sum was too miniscule to have meaningful impact.

He said: “What can they do? This kind of figure makes almost no difference to the massive challenge ahead. It is enough to fund one local project.

“To have any chance of making real progress, this figure should have been in the hundreds of millions. If they had added a zero it would have been a start.”

On the likely response from the public to the chancellor’s announcement, Whitehead said: “We have seen a movement spring up over the last year – massive public displays all clearly saying that people want action now on an issue that is critical to our futures. The spending review has essentially told those people their concerns mean nothing. I would be amazed if there was no backlash to this.”

Green groups and climate experts also expressed their disappointment.

Luke Murphy, head of the IPPR thinktank’s environmental justice commission, tweeted: “Our biggest long-term challenge is the climate and environmental crisis – it’d be helpful if the chancellor recognised that.”

Rebecca Newsom, head of politics for Greenpeace UK, said: “What Boris Johnson touted as the ‘the most ambitious spending round for more than a decade’ has fallen woefully short of addressing the single biggest issue of our time – the climate emergency.”

Referring to the conclusions of research published by Greenpeace and other environmental NGOs earlier this week, she said: “The autumn budget needs to devote at least 5% of government spending to preserving the climate and nature if we’re to limit the damage to what our society and economy can withstand.

“Today’s statement missed the opportunity and simply kicked the can down the road. We cannot allow the net zero target to become just another empty politician’s promise. All other long-term investments become worthless if we don’t protect the life-support systems our survival depends on.”

The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association gave a warmer welcome to the spending review.

The association highlighted as a “potentially positive move”, the award of £200 million worth of investment in Britain’s bus network.

The government has said it will set out its plans to boost bus services, including potential expanded roll out of low emission vehicles when its National Infrastructure Strategy (NIS) is published during the autumn.

Charlotte Morton, the association’s chief executive, said: “Despite the current political uncertainty, our climate emergency is not going away and will not wait for Brexit to be resolved. As such, it is good to see the chancellor announcing additional funding to support decarbonisation efforts, new environmental standards and support for greener transportation in this one-year review.

“However, we will need to see the detail behind these headline schemes to ensure the money is being well spent.

“There can be no net zero without anaerobic digestion, given we can cut UK emissions by up to 5% with a readily-deployable and flexible technology. We therefore await the detail of these commitments and will be putting forward the case for anaerobic digestion and biogas to be at the heart of them.

Sir John Armitt, chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, urged the government to accept his body’s advice when it publishes the NIS.

He said: “The chancellor is right to recognise the UK must up its game on infrastructure, but any revolutionary plans for digital connectivity, improvements to failing urban transport networks and expanding clean energy must be translated into effective actions.

“The government must therefore ensure its forthcoming National Infrastructure Strategy is truly long-term in outlook, backed by clear goals and stable and ambitious funding, and genuinely committed to a change in approach. Such a transformative shift is essential if our country is to thrive and cope with the challenges of a growing population and the impacts of climate change.”