Prime Minister Sunak criticized previous carbon reduction plans as just for the sake of "grabbing headlines" and being too costly, and decided to postpone them for the time being.
On September 20, at 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister's official residence in London, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stood on a podium with a banner reading "Long-term decisions for a brighter future" and dropped a bombshell.
He announced that the ban on the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles would be postponed for five years, to 2035, because the target imposed "unacceptable costs" on the public. The British prime minister's sharp policy turn, or what some would call a policy regression, triggered a full-scale attack from climate movement groups, political opponents, and industry.
On the same day, King Charles III, known as the "Climate King," made his first official visit to France, promoting climate finance and biodiversity. Sunak's own UK climate minister was in New York attending the UN Climate Ambition Summit. The news left both men feeling apprehensive.
Sunak: Switching from petrol cars to electric cars will shrink the economy
Sunak blasted from the podium that Britain's past carbon reduction plans were just for "headline grabbing" but were ill-considered and not fully debated.
He said that for people to replace their old gasoline-powered cars with electric ones, they must be convinced that it is the right and affordable thing to do. Faced with rising prices and a shrinking economy, he urged voters, "At least for now, it's up to you as consumers to make the choice, not for the government to force you to do it."
Sunak and the Conservative Party will face a general election next year, with polls showing them trailing Labour. Some have therefore questioned whether he is putting on a show to curry favor with voters for his re-election campaign, a claim he has denied.
He said the UK was "far ahead of the rest of the world" in its green economic transition, suggesting it could afford to slow down. However, he reiterated that the 2050 net zero emissions target would not be abandoned, but would be achieved in a "more pragmatic, more moderate and more practical way."
UK only 46% on track for first climate target
However, with only seven years left to reach the UK's first climate target - a 68% reduction in emissions by 2030 (based on 1990), the progress bar currently stands at 46%.
In June 2023, the UK government's climate adviser, the Climate Change Committee, released a report criticizing officials for their slow progress in achieving net zero emissions targets and fulfilling fossil fuel commitments, and for being "hesitant to fully implement key commitments", causing it to lose confidence in the government's ability to achieve its net zero target.
Sunak's decision in July to approve new North Sea oil and gas drilling has also led critics to question his commitment to climate goals.
Sunak said the government would build more wind power and nuclear power, invest in new green technologies and adopt new ways to protect nature to achieve its net zero commitment.
The extension of the ban on gasoline vehicles has sparked criticism from both parties and opponents, who point out that it delays inevitable sacrifices and causes humanity to miss a critical window to control carbon emissions. Studies have shown that once temperatures rise beyond a critical point, there will be even more catastrophic floods, heat waves, wildfires, sea level rise, and even the risk of cross-species virus transmission.
Others criticized the move, saying it undermined Britain's position as a global leader in the green transition and sent the wrong message to investors, consumers, and industry. COP26 President Alok Sharma, also a Conservative Party member, warned: "If we break the political consensus on environmental and climate action... it will be extremely damaging."
Even car manufacturers oppose delaying the progress of electric vehicles
British car manufacturers also came out to publicly oppose it, accusing the government of changing its policies every day.
Mike Hawes, CEO of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said in a statement that the UK automotive industry has invested billions of pounds in electric vehicles, building new factories, battery plants, and production lines to meet the government's policy goal of banning the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles by 2030. He added that the government must send a "clear and consistent message" to encourage consumers to switch to electric vehicles. "Confusion and uncertainty will only deter them."
"Our business needs three things from the UK government: ambition, commitment and consistency. Delaying the 2030 target will undermine all three," said Lisa Brankin, president of Ford of Britain.
※ This article is reprinted with permission from CSR@Tianxia. The original title, "Policy Backtrack: UK Prime Minister Announces Five-Year Postponement of Ban on Fuel Vehicles," is not subject to the terms of the Commonwealth Creative Commons license.
Sources:
Environmental Information Center
