Tories have weakened green watchdog so it can do nothing about climate change after Brexit
Typical Tories.
They don’t want any inconveniences like concern for the environment we all inhabit to get in the way of the profits they make from highly-polluting carbon fuels.
So they have deliberately weakened the UK’s green watchdog organisation, making it unable to ensure ministers act on this important issue.
This is after they promised to ensure ministers fulfil their obligations.
They’re a gang of greedy, polluting liars.
Ministers are “deliberately weakening” the green watchdog that will hold the government to account after Britain leaves the EU, according to Labour’s shadow Brexit minister.
Theresa May pledged last January to create a “world-leading, independent, statutory body” to ensure ministers stick to their commitments – replacing the power of the European commission to take governments to the European court of justice (ECJ) for not fulfilling their obligations.
Yet the UK watchdog will not have any powers relating to climate change, an issue of heightened public concern since the summer heatwave that has seen wildfires in the north of England and outbreaks of tropical diseases in parts of Europe.
Matthew Pennycook, Labour’s Brexit spokesman, said: “Our EU membership has been key to delivering and enforcing UK emission reductions. In choosing to exclude climate change from the remit of their environmental watchdog, ministers are deliberately weakening the tools we have to hold them to account. The Brexit process cannot be used as a cover to water down the UK’s leadership on climate change.”
Source: UK’s green watchdog will be powerless over climate change post-Brexit | Environment | The Guardian
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Tories care nothing for the future of the planet or the welfare of people. Nothing, but nothing, can get in the way of their greedy, selfish, self-serving quest for money…
It seems the crux is that as we are leaving the EU, which means the commission will lose its power to govern us and the ecj will no longer have superiority over our courts that the losing remainers extrapolate this to us going to be a third world nation, it is just project fear pick any number between 3 and 10 propaganda claptrap. Every green law from the EU has been transposed into British law it would mean using an inordinate amount of parliamentary time just to alter them slightly.
“They will not listen – those who do not want to hear.”
I actually think that is a little arrogant, if not self serving. There are international judgements aside from “Eec” as was proved quite a few years ago when our emissions were doing serious damage to out neighbours accross the North Sea. Leaving the EEC which, you may remember, the Tories cancelled the referendum they promised us when the “Could not guarentee” that we would vote the way they wanted us to (Which was to join) and proved then that you only get to vote when it is known that you will vote the way they want you to! Yet you still think that the Brexiteers weren’t led by the nose by the right wing?
Of course the Tories are short-sighted. I have yet to see anything from them that considers the long term implications. That said, I do not see how effective many of the Climate change remedies, about which I have heard, can be truly effectual. It is all well and good having targets but what if that cannot be reached? What instruments are available to assist with their achievement? What good is “carbon offsetting? If something is bad, it is bad and needs to cease, or be changed. What good it charging? Only those who can ill afford will be adversely affected; the wealthy will still be able to go about their business, as usual.
I wrote to Tony Blair about this (that’s how long since). What us needed is a total infrastructural remodelling. We are, by and large, a petrol economy. Charging people to go about their business is not the way forward. A long term strategy is required so that people are not reliant on petrol to go about their business. So-called congestion charging could make it impossible for me, for example, to earn a living. What good is that? That’s why I don’t like the Greens. We need a village mentality but the ability to travel, efficiently, great distances, without polluting our environment, excessively. So-called Green industry however is just that and less polluting forms of private transport are not cheap. At the same time, older vehicles are being taxed to the hilt. How are the owners of these vehicles supposed to be able to afford less polluting versions? It is like the person who takes out a loan being charged inordinate interest. It is not a serious approach, in my opinion. Targets are all well and good but what is the point of hitting the target simply for its own sake? We don’t need to make car travel impossible – cars are already expensive to buy, maintain and run, not to mention the coast of fuelling them – , nor the preserve of the wealthy, we need to make car travel unnecessary, or, at the very least make viable, affordable and attractive alternatives. We have been sold the ideal of car ownership and we bought into it in good faith.
What about tackling pollution as it stands? We hear about green this and green that but where IS the green, I ask you? Gardens are being built on, out of town shopping parks, industrial parks, science parks, shopping centres and residential developments all with a distinct lack of vegetation. Asphalt. Where I last lived, in £ondon, there was more greenery around the industrial park than there was in the street where I lived. We need more hedges, trees, grass. Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, it helps to extract carbon from the atmosphere and will help with drainage. Plants are good for mental health, as well as their carbon fixing abilities.
I’m no fan of the Tories but what HAS been done, in terms of long term strategy, with this E.U. Climate accord? Is it fit for purpose? In short, will the Tories weakening of the watchdog make any discernible difference?