Commenting on the lack of vision from George Osborne Executive Director of Greenpeace John Sauven said:
“ The most notable thing about this budget was its lack of ambition in connecting the economy with the environment, one of the key drivers of growth globally. Four years ago we were told it will be the ‘greenest government ever’. Today, the absence of any green growth strategy or measures to deal with the risks of climate change is a damning indictment of a government that has clearly lost its way.”
Carbon Floor Price
Commenting on the announcement to freeze the carbon floor price Dr Doug Parr, Chief Scientist at Greenpeace UK said:
“George Osborne’s budget throws a multi-million pound bung to coal plants. Coal is the dirtiest and most damaging fuel on the planet and it should be left in the ground not given a financial leg-up. Freezing the carbon floor price without further measures to ensure that coal is driven off the grid shows that this government has caved into pressure from the coal lobby and downgraded climate action. Clearly nothing has been learnt from the recent flooding. The public have sent clear signals that they want action on climate change to minimise extreme weather events, but Osborne and Cameron have not listened.”
Flooding
For the tens of thousands flooding victims who felt the full force of global warming this year, the Chancellor offered little in the way of hope when he allocated a measly £140 million extra for flooding. This represents less than 30% of the extra funding for flood protection which the government’s own climate advisors said in January was needed to cope with the impacts of the global warming already in train.
Commenting of the further funding for flood defence Dr Doug Parr, Chief Scientist at Greenpeace UK said:
“This winter the floods have shown what climate change means for Britain in the future. Families up and down the country will have to face the risk of more flooded living rooms. This floods package is far too little to deal with the emergency we face.”
Energy Intensive industries
In response to the Chancellor announcing exemptions for energy intensive industries, Dr Doug Parr, Chief Scientist at Greenpeace UK, said :
“In the 21st Century the Chancellor should not be incentivising business to become dirtier and more polluting. The government would be better off using this money to help UK industry become a world-leader in energy efficient manufacturing, increasing their profits and helping with climate change.”
ENDS
Greenpeace press office – 020 7865 8255
