• Home
  • News
  • In-depth
  • Opinion
  • Energy
    • Wind
    • Marine
    • Solar
    • Biomass
    • Nuclear
    • CCS
    • Infrastructure
  • Policy
    • Politics
    • Legislation
    • Taxation
  • Management
    • Marketing
    • Risk
    • Skills
    • Incentives
    • Carbon Accounting
  • Technology
    • Waste
    • Recycling
    • R&D
    • Efficiency
    • IT
  • Investment
    • Carbon Trading
    • Offsets
    • Venture Capital
  • Net Zero Now
  • Events & Awards
  • SDG Hub
  • Industry Voice
  • Newsletters
  • Sign in
  •  
      • Newsletters
      • Account details
      • Contact support
      • Sign out
     
    • You are currently accessing BusinessGreen via your Enterprise account.

      If you already have an account please use the link below to sign in.

      If you have any problems with your access or would like to request an individual access account please contact our customer service team.

      Phone: +44 (0) 1858 438800

      Email: [email protected]

      • Sign in
  • Follow us
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • Newsletters
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Instagram
  • Free Trial
  • Subscribe
  • Events & Awards
    • Upcoming events
      event logo
      NZF Pathway - Finance

      This exclusive half day online event will investigate how all businesses can support and accelerate the transition to low and net zero carbon buildings, while maximising the financial and productivity opportunities that will result.

      • Date: 16 Mar 2021
      • Online Event
      event logo
      Net Zero Festival 2021

      Net Zero Festival is the world's first business festival dedicated to exploring, advancing, and celebrating the global transition to a net zero emission economy. Join us at BusinessGreen's Net Zero Festival – for leaders who won't wait until 2050 to build a better business, and a better world.

      • Date: 29 Sep 2021
      • Worldwide
      View all events
  • SDG Hub
Business Green
Business Green
  • Home
  • News
  • In-depth
  • Opinion
  • Energy
  • Policy
  • Management
  • Technology
  • Investment
  • Net Zero Now
 
    • Newsletters
    • Account details
    • Contact support
    • Sign out
 
  • You are currently accessing BusinessGreen via your Enterprise account.

    If you already have an account please use the link below to sign in.

    If you have any problems with your access or would like to request an individual access account please contact our customer service team.

    Phone: +44 (0) 1858 438800

    Email: [email protected]

    • Sign in
  • Hot topics
  • Carbon offset markets
  • Green aviation
  • Deforestation
  • Net Zero Finance
Blog post ribbon image
  • Politics

Queen's Speech: Government will do something vague and undefined about climate change, just don't ask what

Queen's Speech: Government will do something vague and undefined about climate change, just don't ask what
  • James Murray
  • James Murray
  • @James_BG
  • 18 May 2016
  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  • LinkedIn  
  • Send to  
0 Comments

The near complete absence of climate change from the annual parliamentary set piece only underscores the sense of drift within government on a host of environmental and energy issues

What follows is an intemperate climate hawk rant, which as such is bound to generate more heat than light.

But if you, like me, were operating under the naive assumption the annual setting out of the government's legislative agenda was a good place for Ministers to provide some indication on what they intend to do about the biggest long term crisis the planet faces, read on.

Related articles

  • Shambles squared
  • Pricing the priceless
  • Brighter times ahead
  • Presidential possibilities

Staggeringly, the first Queen's Speech since the Paris Agreement attempted to usher in a new era in human history, made only a passing reference to climate change and offered next to no insight into how the government intends to navigate the end of the fossil fuel age and the epic opportunities and risks that come with it.

"My government will continue to play a leading role in world affairs, using its global presence to tackle climate change and address major international security, economic and humanitarian challenges," the Queen monotoned, in a speech that provided not a single indicator as to how the UK will play such a leading role beyond a brief nod to ensuring we remain "at the forefront of technology for new forms of transport, including autonomous and electric vehicles".

There was nothing on promised decarbonisation plans; the upcoming fifth carbon budget; the implications of the Paris deal; the need to embrace clean technologies in buildings, heat, aviation, energy, industry, and agriculture, as well as automotive sectors; plans for improved flood defences; plans for smarter infrastructure and interconnectors; plans to tackle a looming clean energy investment hiatus; the uncertainty dogging the UK's nuclear programme; the future of the UK's ambitious marine energy industry; the promised legislation setting a goal to build a net zero emission economy; the need to boost UK recycling rates; and the need to reverse falling levels of biodiversity. And ministers get angry when green business leaders and NGOs accusing them of not treating the environment as a priority.

Now, I know it would be perfectly reasonable to dismiss much of this criticism as unfair. The last government engineered record levels of clean energy investment and record reductions in carbon emissions. This government is committed to doing the same. The Queen may have not been asked to publicly reference the Paris Agreement, but the government's accompanying documents today declare: "Following the Paris climate agreement we are committed, both at home and overseas, to reducing emissions and increasing investment in clean energy technologies. We are using the transition to a low carbon global economy to maximise commercial opportunities for the UK in areas of British expertise."

Moreover, the government is working on a new plan to meet carbon and renewables targets, is considering the fifth carbon budget, is funnelling funding into clean tech R&D, is planning to mobilise new investment in nuclear, offshore wind and other clean energy assets, is supporting the rollout of smart meters, and is planning a net zero emission target. Even some of the policies that did make it into a strangely unambitious Queen's Speech (yes, the European referendum is a distraction, but we're only just entering the second year of this government, you'd still expect a fuller legislative agenda) could be spun as beneficial to the environment. For example, high speed broadband is critical to a low carbon economy and the new Lifetime ISA plan could open the door to more green ISAs. Equally, the promise of more devolved planning powers to Wales potentially opens the door for the country to provide a haven for the UK's embattled onshore wind sector.

But while that's all well and good, where is the urgency? Where is the sense that climate action is a genuine priority for this government? The theatre of the Queen's Speech provided the government with an opportunity to send a clear signal about its low carbon intentions, and yet again it decided to fumble it.

Yes, there is the risk that rushed reforms result in governments' repenting at leisure, but the climate crisis gives no one the luxury of time. Why are promised new policies for accelerating the reduction of the UK's emissions taking so long? Could it be that they are not being regarded as the top priority they should be?

Even if it is reasonable for the government to take 18 months to set out its new decarbonisation strategy (it's not), why is the opportunity not now being used to build excitement around upcoming reforms? Political rhetoric has its value, if only to underline the UK's commitment to the low carbon economy and send an unequivocal signal that high carbon business-as-usual is confined to the history books?

There is also a compelling strategic reason for using events like the Queen's Speech to reiterate that the government understands the implications of the 'Paris Effect' - that's what other countries (and businesses) would have done.

Since that night in December, President Obama (and hopefully soon to be President Clinton) have used every opportunity to promote their clean tech agenda, France has repeatedly moved to strengthen its climate policies, and China has released a new five year plan majoring on environmental action. Meanwhile, growing numbers of businesses have signed up to ambitious new emissions targets, aggressive clean tech investment programmes, and bold renewable energy plans. Even Shell has hinted its vision for the future might be slowly shifting in favour of cleaner technologies.

In the midst of this historic turning point the UK government has overseen a fall down the league table of renewable energy investment attractiveness, engineered a hiatus in clean energy investment, watched idly by as recycling rates stall, and moved at a glacial pace to address the scandalous dishing out of subsidies to diesel and coal generators. The risk of the UK squandering a genuine leadership position in a host of globally significant clean tech and green business sectors is increasing by the month.

And to top it all, less than six months after David Cameron got all misty eyed at the Paris Summit, lamenting how a failure to act on climate change would condemn the next generation to unacceptable risks, the government sends the Queen out with next to nothing of interest to say on the biggest long term challenge the country faces. Meanwhile, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary is today reported to be confident she will soon land a new job in a post-referendum reshuffle that only promises to further disrupt the government's increasingly confusing decarbonisation strategy.

Rant over.

  • Tweet  
  • Facebook  
  • LinkedIn  
  • Send to  
  • Topics
  • Politics
  • Policy
  • Paris Agreement
  • Conservative Party
  • David Cameron

More on Politics

 International shipping accounted for about 2-3 per cent of global greenhouse emissions pre-pandemic
    • Aviation
Government urged to factor aviation and shipping into UK climate goals
    • Aviation
    • 25 February 2021
Homeowners can apply for solar installations and other green tech under the Green Homes Grant
    • Politics
CCC and trade unions urge government to fix embattled Green Homes Grant Scheme
    • Politics
    • 25 February 2021
    • Management
COP26: Sainsbury's joins partner roster, as questions grow over Summit plans
    • Management
    • 25 February 2021
Clean energy portolios consisting of wind, solar, battery storage and demand side response offer a better deal than gas, Carbon Tracker argues
    • Energy
Carbon Tracker to government: Clean energy beats gas on every metric - so choose it
    • Energy
    • 25 February 2021
    • Supply chain
The steel industry will soon have little use for Cumbrian coal
    • Supply chain
    • 25 February 2021
Homes in some parts of the UK could take 30 years longer to meet energy efficiency goals, according to Kamma
    • Buildings
Report: £43.3bn of investment needed to meet 2030 greener homes goal
    • Buildings
    • 24 February 2021
The government has pledged to pursue a sustainable approach to agriculture policy following Brexit
    • Policy
Autumn pilot scheduled for Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme
    • Policy
    • 24 February 2021
    • Politics
Boris Johnson: 'Climate change is a threat to our collective security'
    • Politics
    • 24 February 2021

More news

Government urged to factor aviation and shipping into UK climate goals
  • Aviation
Government urged to factor aviation and shipping into UK climate goals

Coalition of green groups argue UK should set global precedent by including emissions generated by international travel in next carbon budget

  • 25 February 2021
Drax abandons plans for controversial 3.2GW gas power plant
  • Energy
Drax abandons plans for controversial 3.2GW gas power plant

Energy firm announces it will not develop new gas fired power at its site in North Yorkshire as it looks to focus on biomass and carbon capture plans

  • 25 February 2021
CCC and trade unions urge government to fix embattled Green Homes Grant Scheme
  • Politics
CCC and trade unions urge government to fix embattled Green Homes Grant Scheme

Climate Change Committee and trade unions become latest to join chorus of calls for government to rescue its flagship green home retrofit programme

  • 25 February 2021
COP26: Sainsbury's joins partner roster, as questions grow over Summit plans
  • Management
COP26: Sainsbury's joins partner roster, as questions grow over Summit plans

Retailer named as Principal Supermarket Partner, as government faces growing calls to clarify plans for crucial Glasgow Summit

  • 25 February 2021
blog comments powered by Disqus
Back to Top

Most read

Bulb co-founder steps down to focus on battery storage venture
Bulb co-founder steps down to focus on battery storage venture
Judge overturns approval for 1.8GW Norfolk Vanguard project
Judge overturns approval for 1.8GW Norfolk Vanguard project
Michelin and Bridgestone accelerate green tyre innovations
Michelin and Bridgestone accelerate green tyre innovations
REA: Half of UK electricity generation could be produced by renewables by next year
REA: Half of UK electricity generation could be produced by renewables by next year
Labour slams 'shambolic delivery' of Green Homes Grants, as reports suggest scheme could be axed
Labour slams 'shambolic delivery' of Green Homes Grants, as reports suggest scheme could be axed
  • Contact Us
  • Marketing solutions
  • About Incisive Media
  • Terms and conditions
  • Policies
  • Careers
  • Cookie Settings
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Newsletters
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

Incisive Footer Logo

© Incisive Business Media (IP) Limited, Published by Incisive Business Media Limited, New London House, 172 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5QR, registered in England and Wales with company registration numbers 09177174 & 09178013

Digital publisher of the year
Digital publisher of the year 2010, 2013, 2016 & 2017
Loading