Although Johnson’s record in government on environmental policies was patchy at best, he was widely regarded as the champion of climate action and green issues within the government. He is overseeing the Cop26 UN climate summit in Glasgow. three vital environmental bills the Environment Bill, the Agriculture Bill and the Fisheries Bill. and the net zero strategy. His actions may have failed at times, but even die-hard green activists acknowledge that his rhetoric was at least usually green. As such, he was largely alone in the cabinet. Zach Goldsmith, the climate secretary nominated to the Lords by Johnson, tweeted on Wednesday night: “Most of the potential contenders [for leadership] they are people who, as a whole, could not see the climate and nature.’ Tom Burke, a veteran government adviser and co-founder of the green think tank E3G, added: “The environment was seen as a Johnson priority, not a Tory priority.” Some of the leading candidates have a recent history of opposing or downplaying climate action while in cabinet. Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, is at war with No 10 over net zero, canceling almost every policy – from insulation to renewables – that could boost the UK’s climate battle. Liz Truss, despite being Foreign Secretary, played almost no role at the Cop26 UN climate summit in Glasgow last November and did not mention the climate in speeches and meetings with her foreign counterparts. However, this is a critical moment for the climate. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said the world has reached a ‘now or never’ point: acting now could limit the global temperature rise to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, but without it we face irreversible and destructive changes. The next prime minister will shape the UK’s role in ways that will play out over the years. This winter, the UK is facing rising gas bills. Insulation would help, but there are no plans to insulate households in the UK, and although more renewables are being built, wind farms still face hurdles in the planning system. In addition, two vital jobs will soon be vacant: the chair of the Environment Agency and the chair of the Commission on Climate Change, a post held by former Tory environment secretary John Gummer. The prime minister can effectively determine both appointments. A number of government bills are on hold, but beyond the legislation, major decisions are also looming that will have a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions for years to come. A decision has been delayed, but must be made soon, on a new coal mine proposed in Cumbria, which Gummer, Lord Deben, said had no justification. The moratorium on fracking could also be lifted, while the windfall tax offers billions in tax breaks to fossil fuel companies, potentially including frackers. At this critical moment, when the stakes have never been higher and with public support clearly in favor of climate action, the right wing of the Tory party has swamped net zero. David Frost, a Brexit hero for many on the right, has blamed the media for rising energy prices on the push for net zero, despite it being fossil fuel prices that have risen and clear evidence that renewables energy sources reduces bills. Green campaigners point out that the next leader of the Tory party will have to appeal not only to the small group of party members, but also to the wider electorate. They warned potential candidates not to ignore public opinion, which is consistently over 60% in favor of climate action in a wide range of polls.
Some of the potential leadership candidates and their green credentials
Rishi Sunak While chancellor, Sunak often vetoed moves that would have reduced greenhouse gas emissions but cost the public purse. The green house grant was a rare example that allowed such a project to be funded, but was mismanaged and ended in disaster. Since then, no major new green policies requiring public funding have been allowed. At Cop26, he trumpeted UK funding for overseas climate finance for developing countries and moves to hold banks and other companies to account for their emissions. Green score: 2/5 Liz Truss Truss has always appeared impatient in her two-year stint as environment secretary under David Cameron, giving the consistent impression that she was keen to move on to something she saw as kinder. As foreign secretary, she barely played a role at Cop26 last November, the biggest diplomatic gathering on British soil since the second world war, and made no mention of the environment or climate in speeches and meetings with her foreign counterparts. He has yet to speak out against net zero. Green score: 1/5 Michael Gove A self-confessed “shy green Tory”, Gove won the respect of many green campaigners during his tenure as environment secretary, when he presented a 25-year environment plan and launched a raft of green legislation, including a new environment law and reforms to farm subsidies. During his recent upgrade role, he advised against fracking and prepared to take on housebuilders over energy efficiency standards. Green score: 4/5 Jeremy Hunt In his constituency, Hunt supported efforts to stop fossil fuel development and said being offered the chance to host Cop26 was a proud moment for him as foreign secretary. Beyond that, he has said little publicly on green issues, but he joined the Conservative Environmental Network earlier this year and is not on the anti-net-zero wing. Green score: 3/5 Suella Braverman On her website, the attorney general proclaims: “I strongly believe in protecting both the UK’s living ecosystem and the natural environment around the world. Environmental and economic progress are not simply compatible: they depend on each other. The government is committed to being the greenest UK ever.” Closer examination, however, reveals this to be a statement echoed by many Tory MPs. She tried to crack down on climate activists in her legal position by putting injunctions on Insulate Britain protesters. Green score: 1/5 Subscribe to First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7am. BST Sajid Javid The Bromsgrove MP says he has “been on a journey” when it comes to climate and biodiversity, but that they are now among his passions. He has called for biodiversity to be included in GDP and, although he is popular with some of the more right-wing Conservatives, he has said that being a freelancer need not conflict with strong environmental policies. He also wants a new international body to encourage companies to finance and implement green measures. He also hasn’t been afraid to call out those who don’t care about nature, including Donald Trump, and is thought to be considering intervening in climate policy in the near future. Green score: 3.5/5 Steve Baker Brexiter Baker revealed to the Guardian that he is considering standing on a platform that includes scrapping green policies from farming subsidies that prioritize nature to pushing for solar and wind power and wants natural gas and nuclear power to be labeled as green. He has said that talking to children about the climate crisis is “child abuse”. He supports fracking, is a trustee of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, a group of climate sceptics, and co-founded Tory MPs’ Net Zero Scrutiny Group, accused of trying to make climate a “culture war” issue. Green score: 0/5
