There have been ongoing Extinction Rebellion protests around climate change this week.
- As Conservatives we have always cared deeply about our environment – it was under our party that the UK became one of the first countries to call for global action on climate change and since then we’ve taken a leading role on the world stage.
- It was under the Conservatives that the UK became the first advanced economy to legislate for Net Zero emissions by 2050. We have already reduced emissions by a quarter since 2010 and boosted renewables to record levels, but we know we have more to do more and we will put climate change at the heart of this government.
- We are determined to take action so that future generations will look back on climate change as a problem that was solved with the UK leading from the front, protecting our planet for centuries to come.
We are tackling climate change by:
- Becoming the first major economy to end our contribution to global warming by 2050. We will go Net Zero by 2050, ending the UK’s contribution to climate change by expanding electric vehicle use, supporting new clean technologies like fusion and making all new homes energy efficient.
- Reducing greenhouse gases by a quarter under the Conservatives. We have reduced greenhouse gases by 25 per cent since 2010, whilst decarbonising faster than any other G20 nation since 2000.
- Generating record levels of clean energy by supporting renewable technologies. Renewables now generate 35.5 per cent of the UK’s electricity, up from 6.1 per cent under Labour. Offshore wind generation has increased by over 500 per cent under the Conservatives, and 99 per cent of all solar power deployment has taken place under the Conservatives.
- Ending the burning of coal completely by 2025, leaving our environment in a better state for the next generation. The UK has gone record periods without using coal at all throughout and we will go further by ending unabated coal generation for electricity by 2025.
- Creating millions of low carbon jobs, growing our economy while reducing emissions. Our investment has meant there are almost 400,000 people working in low carbon businesses and their supply chains across the country already, and we will create two million low carbon jobs by 2030.
- Doubling our support to help developing countries tackle climate change. We will double the UK’s International Climate Finance to more than £11 billion over five years, supporting poorer countries deal with the causes of climate change like preventing deforestation and reducing carbon emissions.
