The British Government has submitted its expected zero emissions plan with which it aspires to attract 90,000 million pounds (more than 105,000 million euros) of investments and create 440,000 jobs in the next decade.
The presentation of the plan, in the anteroom of COP26 of Glasgow, has reached however preceded by alleged friction between Boris Johnson and the Treasury Secretary, Rishi Sunak, by public spending and the lack of returns of ‘green recovery’,
in a moment of economic uncertainty and energy crisis.
“The way of the United Kingdom to end our contribution to climate change will be paved with well-paid work, billions on investments and prosperous industries that will enhance the Green Industrial Revolution in this country,” said the premier in the presentation of his plan.
“With COP26 around the corner, our strategy marks the example for other countries that want to reconstruct greener, as we move towards the goal of zero emissions globally,” Johnson added.
“Moving the first and making bold decisions, we will be able to have a competitive advantage in electric vehicles, sea wind and CO2 capture, while we support people and businesses during the transition.”
The environmental groups have criticized the Johnson Government on the gap between the ambitious goals (68% of emission reduction by 2030, 78% in 2035 and carbon neutrality in 2050) and insufficient public funds.
Ecologists also denounce inconsistencies such as continued support for fossil fuels (with the oil exploitation of the North Sea and the controversial Cumria coal mine).
Johnson’s plan includes the prohibition of sale of combustion cars in 2030, acceleration of expansion of electric vehicles, fixing annual sales objectives for manufacturers and strong investments in the network of charging points.
The Premier aims to give a new impulse wind energy, which currently supposes more than 20% of the energy tart, with the goal of reaching the 40 gigawatts of sea wind in a decade.
Another of the pillars of the plan is the decarbonization in the buildings, considered today as one of the greatest obstacles to climate objectives.
As of next year, British may request subsidies of up to 5,800 euros to replace the old gas heaters by heat pumps, which today have a cost up to three times higher.
The goal of the Johnson Government is to perform the “conversion” at 600,000 homes a year from here to 2028. The Association Friends of the Earth has warned that with the current plans (with a package of 4,500 million euros of aid from here to 2025)
Only 90,000 homes could be reached a year.
Other criticisms allege that the plan will be hardly realizable in the context of the current energy crisis.
Johnson aims to also give a renewed boost to nuclear energy, which today contributes 13.5% of the power supply, with the approval to a new central before 2024 (to be added under construction at Hinkley Point) and
Possibly a second floor.
The British Government also wants to launch two large CO2 capture projects, as well as boost hydrogen and sustainable alternatives for the airline industry.
The plan also includes investments in adaptation to climate change, reforestation, renaturation and recovery of habitats, as the proposals estimated at 150 million euros to restore 280,000 hectares of swampy areas.
The presentation of the zero emissions plan was preceded by the tensions between the number 10 and the number 11 of Downing Street.
The Secretary of Treasury Rishi Sunak has received criticism for his lack of support to Boris Johnson’s strategy.
Sunak did not even mention COP26 in the recent speech of him at the conservative party conference.
The Premiere faces resistance in the government itself and in the hard wing of the Tories, where there are still skeptics of the climate that the need for an energy security plan on these days.
Greenpeace has criticized the announcement of Boris Johnson as “a jumble of proposals, instead of the substantial proposal we need to reach zero emissions.”
“With extra money to plant trees and the advance of electric cars does not resolve the absence of a large-scale renewable plan, public transport investments and the end of new licenses for coal and oil,” said Rebecca Newsom, at the forefront
From the British section of Greenpeace.
Boris Johnson on the other hand announced the agreement reached by the British Government with Bill Gates for the destination of 480 million euros for research and development of “green” hydrogen production technologies, energy storage of renewable sources and CO2 capture.
The announcement was made during the Global Investment Summit held in London.
