Labour talks up vision for 'most ambitious climate recovery plan in the world'

Labour has signalled that it will place climate action at the heart of its calls for a comprehensive economic recovery package for the UK, revealing plans for a green jobs drive that could create a "zero-carbon army of young people".

In an interview with the Observer, recently appointed Shadow Business Secretary Ed Miliband said the UK should look to emulate the post-war reconstruction effort that was led by Labour Prime Minister Clement Attlee and deliver a new wave of green infrastructure.

"It's a contemporary equivalent of what happened after 1945," Miliband said. "It's never too early to start thinking about the future, to think about what kind of world we want to build as we emerge from this crisis. I think we owe it to have a sort of reassessment of what really matters in our society, and how we build something better for the future."

Miliband is reportedly working with Shadow Chancellor, Anneliese Dodds, on plans for a consultation with businesses, workers, unions, and campaigners on how a green recovery could be delivered.

"I think we should be aiming for the most ambitious climate recovery plan in the world," Miliband told the paper. "That should be nothing less than the government's ambition. The old argument that you can have economic success or environmental care is just completely wrong."

He predicted such a programme would enjoy significant public support and highlighted how green policies could deliver major employment opportunities.

"We know that the longer young people stay out of work, the more it blights their future prospects," he said. "We need a sort of zero-carbon army of young people doing the things that we know we need to do anyway. My first priority would be to say to young people, 'We're going to find you fulfilling, decently paid work which is going to make a contribution to this absolutely vital cause that we face'. I think that's step one in the emergency."

The proposals could yet be broadly welcomed by the government, given senior ministers have repeatedly stressed that they are keen to deliver a green recovery and remain firmly committed to the UK's net zero emissions target.

Just last week Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the Commons that his commitment to the net zero target was "undiminished" by the coronavirus crisis and that he wanted to see a step change in global decarbonisation efforts.

"Inadvertently, the planet this year will [have] greatly reduced its CO2 emissions... we need to entrench those gains," Johnson said. "I don't want to see us going back to an era of the same type of emissions as we've had in the past."

Meanwhile, a new collection of essays from the centre right Bright Blue think tank put forward a raft of net zero policy proposals as speculation over how the government plans to structure its economic recovery package continues to mount.

Reports over the weekend suggested Johnson was working on a major speech to be delivered next month that is likely to sketch out how recovery plans will be centred on three "pillars" - infrastructure, technology, and education - that all relate to the net zero transition.

Separately, calls for governments around the world to deliver green recovery plans escalated further last week as over 400 civil society groups urged world leaders to 'build back better' and deliver new plans to ensure the UN Sustainable Development Goals are met.

Ahead of the World Health Assembly, the group is calling for "a joined up plan to fight the crisis and build a just recovery that tackles the interlinked challenges of providing universal healthcare, reducing inequalities and guaranteeing human rights; alongside the critical need to re-think our economies in response to the parallel crises of climate change and biodiversity".

The group brings together a raft of high profile NGOs from around the world, including Action for Sustainable Development, CIVICUS, Femnet, Forus, GCAP, Global Citizen, HelpAge International, Oxfam, Restless Development, Save The Children, Women Deliver and many more regional networks, voluntary groups and local activists.

"Inequalities have exacerbated the challenges facing many populations during this global pandemic, it is essential that any stimulus and rescue packages must include commitments and measures to ensure universal health and social care, gender equality and a global commitment to universal social protection," said Lysa John, Secretary General of CIVICUS. "At the same time, it is critical that as part of the recovery, every country meets their obligations under the Paris Agreement; putting us firmly on the path to net zero, with global heating limited to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. To achieve the above, meaningful partnerships with Civil Society are vital. We urge decision makers to involve Civil Society in policy responses and create enabling conditions for our participation."

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