The UK’s Net Zero Secretary has warned that reducing carbon emissions must not “impoverish people” as she took aim at Labour’s “ideology” to oppose new oil and gas developments.
The UK Government caused outrage after announcing that new oil and gas licences will be granted for the North Sea, while the controversial Rosebank development was given the green light by the government’s regulators last week.
Sir Keir Starmer said that if his Labour party forms the next UK government after next year’s general election, no more licences will be approved, but the party will not reverse decisions made by Rishi Sunak’s administration.
Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, Net Zero Secretary Claire Coutinho insisted her party is making progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but also warned against the dangers of losing the public’s support or implementing policies which will not achieve the intended aim.
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She said: “If we are to succeed, net zero can’t be something that is done to people by a privileged elite.
“We cannot force people to make the wrong decisions for their families. And it’s immoral to put forward policies that will impoverish people here when emissions are rising abroad.”
She accused Labour of tabling “toxic” plans, claiming they “would collapse popular support for net zero”.
Ms Coutinho said: “Simply put, it is not the climate change deniers who threaten net zero, it is Keir Starmer’s Labour Party.
“They choose ideology over reason at every turn.
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“Alongside the SNP, the Labour Party oppose further development of the North Sea - a plan that would export 200,000 oil and gas jobs abroad. A plan that's been rightly condemned by the unions.”
She added: “Even our climate change watchdog says that when we reach net zero in 2050, We'll still need oil and gas as part of our energy consumption.
“Yet Labour would shut down the North Sea. They'd have us more dependent on foreign regimes for longer, jobs lost, investment lost and our national security jeopardised.”
The Tory ministers said the UK “can benefit and is benefiting from jobs and investment that the energy transition brings”, including “from climate finance to generating new technology!.
She insisted that her party’s net zero strategy “will also ensure that we take our own people with us”, adding that “that's the only way that we can achieve it”.
The UK Government has received scathing criticism for pushing key climate policies further into the future including banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and upgrading boilers in England. Ms Coutinho claims these are “sensible adjustments to take a new approach to climate policies”.
She said: “Of all the major economies, we've set the toughest target and we've exceeded all of them.
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“Our carbon emissions will continue to fall, but people will be able to make the transition when the price is right for them.”
The Cabinet Secretary said the “bold decisions” are “the right ones for our people”.
She said: “We will be ambitious, but we can also be practical and above all, we must be compassionate.
“It's we Conservatives who will deliver both for our people today and for generations to come.
“This is a decade's long endeavour and we are in it for the long haul.”
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