Net Zero Energy ‘Absolutely Doable’ in U.K. by 2030: BBC Citing Opposition Leader

CarrZee: The opposition Labour Party is putting some political distance between it and the government, when it comes to climate action.

The government is scaling back environmental rules, boosting oil and natgas exploration and apparently undercutting its carbon market.

Both sides of politics should be on board with some of the best ideas globally to reduce inequality and improve sustainability.

Indeed, Labour’s ambitious plan seems to imply some significant carbon trading — otherwise I can’t see how it can be done.

BBC story, unedited:

Labour has set out plans to make the UK the first major economy in the world to generate all of its electricity without using fossil fuels.

Sir Keir Starmer says achieving zero carbon energy by 2030 will be a key priority if he wins the next election.

But he said fossil fuels may be used as a “fall back” if it cannot be achieved by the end of the decade.

He told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg it was a “difficult” goal but “absolutely doable”.

The government has already committed to zero carbon electricity by 2035 – but that pledge was made before the global spike in energy prices.

New prime minister Liz Truss has promised more renewable energy as part of a plan to make the UK a net exporter of energy by 2040, ending the country’s dependence on foreign supplies.

However, she has also announced plans to restart fracking and issue more licenses to drill for gas.

Labour has already unveiled plans to spend £28bn a year on making the UK economy more green.

But the party believes it can win votes by promoting green energy as a way to generate economic growth, in contrast to Tory tax cuts for the well-off.

Sir Keir used colourful language at a fringe meeting on Saturday evening to attack the economic policies set out by Liz Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng.

Cutting taxes for the better-off to stimulate growth has been attacked by critics as “trickle-down” economics.

“It’s not trickle down, it’s taking the piss”, Sir Keir told party activists.

“You heard the chancellor yesterday (Friday). I didn’t agree with almost anything he said in that financial statement yesterday apart from his opening sentence, when he said there’s a ‘vicious cycle of stagnation’.

“He’s right about that and it’s their vicious cycle of stagnation. That is the verdict on 12 years of Tory government, a vicious cycle of stagnation and we need to hang that around their necks.”

He said it was good when “somebody who is caught red-handed actually pleads guilty”.

Both Liz Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng have defended their plans to cut taxes.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Ms Truss said the measures set out so far were “just the start” and her government would be “unapologetic in this pursuit” for growth.

And speaking to the BBC on Sunday, Mr Kwarteng also suggested there was “more to come”.

Meanwhile, several papers including the Sunday Telegraph reported claims Ms Truss was due to make more tax cuts in the new year, including to income tax, and discounts for savers and child benefit claimants.

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