How Green Is The Blue Cabinet?
Victoria Mitchell
Featured image courtesy of Element5 Digital on Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
Liz Truss was accused of leading an “attack on nature” during her short stint as UK prime minister. Will Rishi Sunak revive the green agenda pulled apart by his predecessor?
Liz Truss may have been the shortest-serving prime minister in UK history, but she certainly made a powerful impact on environmental policy. During her 44 days in office, Truss ended the ban on fracking, announced the creation of new investment zones and instigated an expanded oil licensing framework.
“I am absolutely committed to protecting our environment for future generations”
In an interview with the BBC, director-general of the National Trust, Hilary McGrady said that, “this is the biggest attack on nature certainly in my lifetime, let alone my career. This is unprecedented”.
Some environmental organisations are therefore welcoming he new Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak. Craig Benett, chief executive of the Wildlife Trusts is cautiously hopeful that relations between the government and conservationists will improve under the new prime minister’s direction as he is “more open to evidence”.
In his first speech to Tory MPs, Rishi Sunak promised that he is “absolutely committed” to delivering net zero climate emissions and would lead an “environmentally focused government.” The new administration is publicly declaring an eco-friendlier agenda. But how green really is the blue cabinet? Let’s take a look at the three key players involved in tackling the climate crisis.
Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister
During his first Prime Minister’s Question Time, Rishi Sunak reimposed the fracking ban lifted by Liz Truss. Friends of the Earth environmental group praised the move as a “fantastic victory for common sense”. Other eco-friendly pledges include meeting Britain’s net-zero goals by 2050, delivering on the 25 - Year Environment Plan and advocating for energy efficiency schemes, although there is little specific detail regarding these plans.
As Chancellor, Sunak oversaw several sustainability initiatives. During his tenure, the Treasury fulfilled the Net-Zero Review which included the launch of “pocket parks” for neglected city spaces. Sunak spoke of his personal efforts to “rewire the financial system for net zero” by introducing a £16 billion sovereign green bond package and eco-friendly plan mandate for large businesses.
However, his record on environmental issues is mixed. During his two-year tenure as finance minister from 2020-2022, he reduced funding for energy efficient measures which thwarted the Green Homes Grant, designed to provide 600,000 homes with energy saving insulation. The scheme was axed after just six months in April 2021. During October of the same year, he halved domestic flight taxes which raised gas emissions, and simultaneously reduced foreign climate aid assistance from 0.7% to 0.5% of the national income.
Moreover, his own voting history rarely deviates from the Conservative party line and has often opposed sustainable measures. For example, in 2021 he voted against both a peatland burning ban and a “polluter pays” green principle designed to hold corporate businesses to account regarding emissions.
Most recently, there has been controversy around whether Sunak will be attending the COP27 climate summate taking place in Egypt. A Number 10 spokesperson last week announced that the PM has “other pressing domestic commitments” which prevent him from attending the United Nations conference happening in Sharm El-Sheikh from November 6-18.
“The new PM’s decision not to attend COP27 makes a mockery of any government claims on continued climate leadership - and what a shameful way to end the UK’s COP presidency.”
Mr Sunak’s decision was criticised by politicians and environmentalists alike for failing to take the climate crisis seriously enough. Green Party leader Caroline Lucas referred to it as “a mockery of any government claims on continued climate leadership".
Subsequently, the PM’s official spokesperson announced on Monday October 31 that the situation is currently “under review”.
“Any attendance at COP would depend on progress on prepartion for that fiscal event-and that work is ongoing”
Amid growing pressure to attend the climate conference in Egypt, a potential U-Turn may be looming.
Therese Coffey, Environmental Secretary
Unlike Sunak, Coffey will be attending the Cop27 conference later this month. She told Sky News last Friday morning that she will attend because "protecting the planet is absolutely a priority for the government.” But she nonetheless defended Sunak’s decision to abstain from the event, insisting that he would show “global leadership” instead of attending “a gathering of people in Egypt.”
During an interview on BBC Breakfast last Friday morning, Coffey struggled to explain what she is doing to counteract the climate crisis. When asked to outline the eco-friendly actions she is taking in her personal life, the recently appointed Environment Secretary struggled to articulate a response. She eventually replied that she is using “permanent cups” that can be recycled after use. Such comments have led to a public questioning of her green credentials with one Twitter user tweeting that “Global warming is inexorably rising because of politicians like her.”
Indeed, Coffey’s appointment as Environmental Secretary surprised many environmentalists as she has less expertise within the industry than other candidates.
While she does have some experience in environmental policy, she has a history of causing controversy via Twitter. In 2019, Ms Coffey acted as Minister of State for DEFRA and oversaw an inquiry into food waste and Dasgupta review into Biodiversity. However in 2018, she dismissed a potential introduction of meat tax in five words, “What next, no spag bol?.”
She also claimed that RoundUp weedkiller, which contains the damaging ingredient glyphosate, was “amazing.” This statement prompted scientist Dr David Coombes to declare her a “candidate for most inappropriate tweet of the year.”
Already, Coffey has delayed publishing a written ministerial statement on UK clean water and biodiversity targets. In a statement delivered Saturday October 29, she wrote that “we will not be able to publish targets by 31 October, as required by the act”. This delay breaches the Environment Act and is a blow to the UK in the lead-up to COP27.
Grant Schapps-Minister of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
Another of Sunak’s major cabinet shake-ups was the replacement of Jacob Rees-Mogg as the Minister of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy with Truss’s Home Secretary, Grant Schapps. Rees-Mogg had previously stated that he would “welcome fracking in his back garden”. On the other hand Schapps pledged to “build a greener, healthier, more prosperous Britain” when appointed as Boris Johnson’s Transport Secretary in 2019. The move has therefore been welcomed by most conservationist groups.
“He is generally seen as pro-environment in quite a tech-optimist way”
Some of Schapps’ notable achievements as Transport Minister include publishing the Transport Decarbonisation Plan and Jet Zero strategy in 2021, and voting to bring the ban on new petrol cars forward from 2035 to 2030. According to Joe Tetlow, senior political adviser of Green Alliance thinktank, he is “generally seen as pro-environment, in quite a tech-optimist way.”
However, like Sunak, Schapps has broadly voted along Conservative party lines and against several climate issues. This has included opposing a plan to eliminate transport emissions by 2030 and a ban on burning peatland vegetation soil. He has also referred to onshore wind turbines as an “eyesore” and, according to TheyWorkForYou, generally opposes financial incentives for low carbon energy.
At this crucial time for the environment, all eyes are turned upon the new cabinet. Will they be an “environmentally focused government” as promised, or will Sunak fall into the same trap as Truss? Only time will tell.
The full voting history of the cabinet can be found at TheyWorkForYou
Victoria Mitchell is The Scoop’s Science and Environment Deputy Editor, and an MA English Literature student at Queen’s University Belfast.