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The former chair of the UK’s climate advisory body has condemned the leadership in Westminster for hindering substantial action on climate change, calling it a “failure” and “incredibly dangerous”.
In an interview with the Financial Times, John Gummer, also known as Lord Deben, criticized the ruling Conservative party and the main Labour opposition for being “afraid of making some of the tough decisions, which need to be made, for electoral reasons”. According to Deben, politicians often avoid bold decisions as they fear losing support among certain voters.
Deben, who chaired the Climate Change Committee for nearly 11 years, stated, “It’s absolutely a failure. And I also think it’s politically incredibly dangerous.”
Deben made these remarks shortly before the surprising Uxbridge by-election result, where the Conservative party managed to retain the seat despite public protests against a plan by London’s Labour mayor Sadiq Khan to impose a charge on heavily polluting vehicles.
This unexpected election outcome sparked a debate within both major parties about their green policies leading up to next year’s general election. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hinted at a more flexible approach to achieving the UK’s target of net zero emissions by 2050, while Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer asked Khan to reconsider plans for expanding London’s ultra-low emissions zone.
Under Deben’s leadership, the Climate Change Committee has repeatedly warned that the government is not doing enough to reduce emissions or prepare for climate change. They highlighted issues such as poorly insulated homes and the expansion of UK airports.
Deben also highlighted the recent dispute between Labour and the Unite and GMB unions over North Sea oil and gas exploration as an example of politics hindering climate action. However, a Labour spokesperson pointed out that its green agenda, including the ban on new North Sea drilling, had been approved by the party’s National Policy Forum, which includes the unions.
Deben’s comments come as extreme temperatures ravage large parts of the US, Europe, and Asia, following the hottest June on record globally. He criticized the UK government’s new national adaptation plan, stating that it falls short of what is necessary. Deben emphasized that governments cannot escape the consequences of failing to prepare for climate disasters.