The world is burning, and the Prime Minister doesn’t care

The world is facing a climate catastrophe. Two weeks ago, leading scientists issued a report that said we are coming dangerously close to causing irreversible changes to our planet.

Burning fossil fuels is causing increased temperatures, floods, droughts, and famines across the world.

In Battersea, we have also seen the effects of climate change when we experienced some of the worst flash flooding on record, and this summer had our first ever 40-degree day.

The world’s reliance on fossil fuels has also created a health crisis. Parts of London have some of the poorest air quality in the country including some areas in Battersea.

The reality is that countries in the Global North, large multi-national companies and the richest in society are historically responsible for most of the emissions and the climate crisis.

Yet, across the world and in London, the climate crisis and poor air quality disproportionately impacts low-income people and those from Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority backgrounds. It is unfair that the people that have contributed least to the climate crisis are most impacted by it.

That’s why the government must show leadership on the climate crisis. However, for the Tories, party politics and ideology take priority over people and the planet.

Former Prime Minister Liz Truss crashed the economy, the pound, and our reputation. However, in her 45 days in office, she also did considerable harm to our planet. Her plans for fracking and further production from the North Sea would have made the climate emergency worse. It is worrying that the Tories are doubling down on fossil fuels while blocking the cheapest, cleanest, quickest forms of power – onshore wind and solar.

Then the new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak demoted the COP Minister from cabinet and said he won’t be going to COP, only to now be dragged kicking and screaming after he learnt that former Prime Minister Johnson was going to COP. PM Sunak was wrong when he said he had more pressing issues at home to deal. He also made the incorrect decision to advise our new King not to go to COP.

The government also continues to champion the disaster that is Brexit, even though it is having a harmful impact on our country including on our actions to tackle the climate crisis. Two weeks ago, the government introduced the Retained EU law bill which could cause considerable harm through removing key protections for consumers, workers, and the environment. Last week, Dame Glenys Stacey, Chair of the Office for Environmental Protection, warned that Londoners’ lives were at risk by bungled post-Brexit targets to tackle toxic air.

We cannot afford the government to play party politics whilst the world is burning. We must hold the PM to account for our planet and future generations. They need to commit to Labour’s plan for a 100% clean power system by 2030. a national wealth fund to invest in green jobs and GB energy, a publicly owned energy generation company.

Getting to net zero is in our economic and national security interests. If we want to tackle the economic crisis, energy insecurity, the climate emergency, then we have to go “further and faster” on a green transition through increasing our use of the cheapest means of energy generation and being more energy efficient. If the government unlocks the climate crisis, then it can unlock the other crises affecting our country.

Finally, we also need to demand change locally as well as nationally. One of my priorities over the coming months is to find out how we can accelerate the green transition locally. I will be launching a survey for my constituents to complete, to find out more about their concerns, and what they want to see.

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