Meanwhile the Conservative Party’s manifesto scored far worse than Labour’s, the Liberal Democrats’ and the Green Party’s. The Tory manifesto instead doubled down in trying to make climate and nature a wedge issue by committing to licence new fossil fuels on an annual basis, ban measures to clean up toxic air, and spark a bonfire of ‘red tape’ when it comes to protecting the environment.
So far, the climate and nature crises have failed to feature as a priority issue throughout the election campaign, despite recent surveys showing that more than four in five people are concerned about climate change and over two thirds say it will influence how they vote at the ballot box.
That’s why the green groups are calling on all political parties to strengthen their green policy packages if elected, to ensure the UK delivers on vital upcoming targets to restore and protect climate and nature and reinstate the UK as a leader in the global race to a green economy.
Rebecca Newsom, head of politics at Greenpeace UK, said: “This ranking exposes the good, the bad and the ugly, when it comes to the environmental pledges on offer. While the Greens and Lib Dems showcase what can be done to deliver a green and prosperous future with enough political will, it’s the stark chasm between the two main parties that’s most telling.
Prosperous
“Labour set out a clear vision for a bright future with lower bills and clean energy, while generating hundreds of thousands of jobs and cutting emissions – helping to tackle the climate crisis. Meanwhile, the Conservatives’ divisive proposal will deliver the very opposite: more fossil fuels, more toxic air pollution and more climate-wrecking emissions that will hit the poorest hardest.
“The manifestos of the two main parties provide a glimpse into the possible worlds that voters will choose to inherit next month. And, when it comes to climate leadership and supporting workers and communities to benefit from the green transition, there’s a clear and obvious choice.”
Mike Childs, head of policy at Friends of the Earth, said: “It’s encouraging that Labour is 100 per cent committed to delivering on the internationally agreed goal to reduce emissions by more than two-thirds by 2030. This is vital if the UK is to play its part in the global effort to avert runaway climate breakdown.
“Labour must develop additional policies to those in its manifesto and come up with a robust strategy for funding vital measures to make sectors like farming and housing greener. It should also draw on some of the policy ideas proposed by the Lib Dems and Green Party if elected – namely those that ensure the green transition is fair and equitable.
“If growth is the party’s mantra, then it must seize the many opportunities that action on climate and nature present – such as lower bills, hundreds of thousands of new jobs in clean industries, a healthier, more prosperous economy and a safer future for us all.”
This Author
Brendan Montague is editor of The Ecologist. This article is based on a press release from Greenpeace UK and Friends of the Earth.