25 August 2021

The Green Party has backed a letter to Boris Johnson from consumer and construction industry bodies that says decarbonising homes is currently too expensive, complicated and risky [1]. Greens argue that decarbonising the UK’s housing stock cannot be left to the market, and call for a publicly funded retrofit scheme, especially for those less able to afford the changes.  

Carla Denyer, Green Party spokesperson on housing and communities, said: 

“The government’s market-driven approach to decarbonise homes is leaving households confused and stressed, and will not deliver results fast enough. What is needed is a publicly-funded scheme that will retrofit 10 million homes, making them warm and cheap to heat, by 2030.

“With around 14% of the UK’s carbon emissions coming from heating our homes, we cannot tackle the climate emergency without decarbonising our housing stock [2]. And those who are fuel-poor, in vulnerable circumstances or on low incomes will need particular support. 

“We need to ensure that householders and tenants benefit rather than just private companies. This means homes will need to undergo a deep retrofit and have solar panels and other forms of renewable energy and heating installed. This way households will have warmer and more comfortable homes, cut their energy bills and benefit from generating a proportion of the energy they use.”

“The government must ensure an approach that is a win-win, for the climate and for residents.”

The government is soon expected to release its long-awaited Heat and Building Strategy [3] which will aim to incentivise homeowners to transition to emission-free homes by installing low carbon and renewable technologies.

ENDS

Notes

1. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/CitizensAdvice/Energy/Net%20zero%20joint%20letter%20to%20the%20Prime%20Minister%20-%202021-08-25.pdf   
2. https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/uk-housing-fit-for-the-future/
3. https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/advice/heat-and-buildings-strategy 

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23 August 2021

The Green Party says planned peaceful protests by Extinction Rebellion against the billions poured into fossil fuels [1] are an important part of a democratic society, but that genuine democracy, with a fair electoral system, is needed to deliver lasting change. Greens have also repeated calls for a carbon tax to move funding away from damaging climate wrecking activities towards a green transition.

Zack Polanski, Democracy and Citizen Engagement spokesperson for the Green Party, said:

“Peaceful protests by campaigners against the damage being inflicted on our planet by destructive fossil fuel investments are both valid and important. But real and lasting change must be political.

“We’ve seen what genuine democracy can achieve. In countries with a fair and proportional electoral system, Green politicians have their fair share of seats in government. In Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands and now Scotland, Greens can take our policies into government and deliver the green policies that are so urgently needed in this climate emergency [2].   

“Here in the UK, we’ve seen what can be achieved when citizens engage in participatory processes. The first UK-wide citizens’ assembly on climate change saw participants make far bolder recommendations on reaching net zero than those proposed by government [3]. 

“For Greens, the most powerful policy needed right now, to rapidly eliminate fossil fuels from our economies and fund a green transition is a global carbon tax [4]. This is a policy that Greens in government would push for.” 

ENDS

Notes

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/aug/19/extinction-rebellion-targets-city-of-london-over-climate-role 

[2] The achievements of Greens in government in Finland: https://greennbvert.ca/green-party-accomplishments/ 

[3] Climate Assembly Executive Summary: https://www.climateassembly.uk/report/read/final-report-exec-summary.pdf 

[4] Green Party response to IPCC report – a call for a global carbon tax: https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2021/08/09/green-party-responds-to-latest-ipcc-report/ 

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18 August 2021

The Green Party can now confirm the candidates running in the upcoming leadership elections.

Nominations closed on Tuesday at midday with three co leader teams and two individuals putting themselves forward in the race. They are: 

Shahrar Ali

Ashley Gunstock

Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay 

Martin Hemingway and Tina Rothery 

Amelia Womack and Tamsin Omond

Co-leader Jonathan Bartley stood down last monthwhich triggered an election for new leadership. [1]

In line with the party’s constitution, individuals can put themselves forward or two people can stand together in a bid to be co-leaders. 

Members will have the opportunity to vote for their next generation of leadership from 2 September until the ballot closes on 23 September with results set to be announced soon after. 

Acting party leader Sian Berry said: “The Green Party is so proud of its democratic roots and  the election for who leads and represents us is one of the biggest choices our members make. This is a crucial moment for the party with elections that can put more Greens into positions of power on the horizon.

“I say to every member that your voice is absolutely essential during this election. New members who join before 27 August can also vote, so if you are thinking of joining us at this huge moment for Green politics around the world, now is the time.”

ENDS

Notes

1

https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2021/07/05/jonathan-bartley-to-stand-down-as-co-leader-of-the-green-party/

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18 August 2021

The Green Party has criticised the government for not doing enough after it promised to resettle up to 20,000 Afghan refugees, with only 5,000 to be welcomed in the first year. [1]

Benali Hamdache, Green Party migration and refugee support spokesperson, said:

“Offering refuge to those fleeing violence and persecution from the Taliban should be a fundamental part of who we are as a country, but unfortunately this is more empty PR from Boris Johnson.

“While Canada is taking in 20,000 refugees immediately, the UK’s insistence that it can only accept 5,000 in the first year will leave thousands of people in extreme danger. Canada and the UK both had soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan. Both were part of the attempts to build a new government. But only one part of the coalition is living up to their responsibilities.

“At the same time, the UK government should be providing local authorities with more funds to be able to support refugee children. The cost of resettlement should be fully borne by the national government, with the money transferred to councils so they can provide the services so desperately needed.

“After 20 years of involvement in Afghanistan, the UK shares responsibility for this crisis. We must act now in order to make people safe and show both Afghans and the rest of the world that we are a leader on human rights and compassion. 

“Instead, these current plans make us out to be a populist island, cutting itself off from the rest of the world and failing to live up to our responsibilities.”

ENDS

Notes

1

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58250211

2

https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2021/08/17/green-party-urges-local-authorities-to-take-in-fair-share-of-child-refugees/

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17 August 2021

Government hydrogen strategy ‘not a route to net zero’ says Green Party 

The Green Party has criticised the government’s hydrogen strategy this morning saying subsidies for the creation of ‘dirty hydrogen’ are an outrage.

Blue hydrogen is created primarily from fossil fuels and is included in the government plans. The Greens are clear that only green hydrogen, produced using renewable electricity and with almost no CO2 emissions, would genuinely play a role in reaching net zero. [1]

Green Party Green New Deal spokesperson and Leader of Lewes District Council [2] Zoe Nicholson said: “This is a typical government move to try and make it look as if they are making some kind of positive shift away from fossil fuels, when in fact the reality is nothing of the kind. 

“Creating dirty hydrogen from fossil fuels doesn’t help make any progress towards net zero and instead takes investment away from actual sustainable energy options. 

“It looks like yet again the government is putting the interests of its friends in the gas industry ahead of the environment.”

On the government’s announcement that there will be a decision made on whether to use hydrogen for heating homes by 2026 Nicholson continued:

“The idea that we can wait another five years to look at the energy we use to heat our homes is frankly ludicrous. There needs to be a focus right now on insulating homes and installing heat pumps which would both go a long way in making homes warmer and cheaper to run as well as cutting emissions right now.

“Truly green hydrogen and derived fuels will play an important role in our sustainable future, primarily for transport like HGVs and ships, industry and balancing the electricity supply and demand.”

ENDS

Notes

[1]https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/projects/low-carbon-energy-programme/hydrogen-production/

[2] Lewes District Council is in partnership with private and public sector bodies supporting the creation of a Sussex-wide green hydrogen hub: http://www.hydrogensussex.org

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