After ignoring the climate crisis for decades, political parties have now filled their manifestos with environmental pledges. It is important to assess how effective these pledges would be.
Our research – to be presented at the British Ecological Society’s meeting in Belfast on 11 December, a day before the election – shows that two solutions are effective in addressing environmental concerns. These are comprehensive Green New Deal plans which, alongside “green growth”, also stop fossil fuel subsidies and implement progressive green taxes. Nature-based solutions are also effective: these restore and better manage habitats such as forests and coastal ecosystems. The environment benefits most when both strategies are combined, and can also benefit society by, for example, reducing inequity.
For the main three UK-wide parties’ manifestos, Labour comes out the best, with a comprehensive “green industrial revolution” alongside some commitments to nature-based solutions. Next come the Liberal Democrats, with a greater commitment to reforesting, but weaker societal reforms than Labour. Last come the Conservatives, with weaker nature-based solutions than the Lib Dems, and a strong focus on economic growth, which we demonstrate decreases the environmental benefits of any other policies.
Overall, however, the Green party’s policies are the best, covering Green New Deal principles, committing to nature-based solutions and refocusing economic performance away from the measurement of growth.
These manifesto pledges from the Greens were put to the Commons in March 2019 in the decarbonisation and economic strategy bill. So, to protect the environment, a good question to ask your prospective MPs would be whether they would support this bill’s progress if it were reintroduced in the next parliament.
Prof Rick Stafford, Dr Elena Cantarello, Elli Rivers, Abigail Croker, Tilak Ginige, Prof Chris Shiel Bournemouth University; Dr Emma McKinley Cardiff University; Dr Peter JS Jones University College London
• Two chilling reports this week from the World Meteorological Organization and the UN Environment Programme both show that carbon emissions haven’t yet peaked, let alone begun the necessary decline needed to prevent climate chaos (UN urges drastic cut in emissions over next decade to avert disaster, 26 November).
The former government chief scientific adviser, Sir David King, was incredibly blunt about the implications, warning that we ought to be afraid, not least because of the potential sea level rise of one or two metres, which would mean London having to be moved to higher ground.
Particularly striking was Sir David’s concern at the lack of political leadership to seriously tackle these problems. The Conservative manifesto was pitifully weak on ideas and spending plans to tackle the climate crisis. Take the crucially important area of our homes. The Tories promise a paltry £6.3bn to make them more energy-efficient, which will do next to nothing to tackle the crisis. Compare this with the hundreds of billions needed, and promised in the Green party’s Green New Deal, to decarbonise every aspect of our economy and society over the next decade.
The country has already endured a decade of cruel Conservative austerity. We cannot afford to now add recklessness on climate to the social deprivation this has already created. The choice on 12 December is stark yet simple. If you are worried about the future of the planet, our nation’s children and grandchildren and those around the world already affected by the climate crisis, then vote for a party that is committed to doing something about it. If not now, when?
Caroline Lucas
Green party parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion
• George Monbiot’s article (A vote for the planet means a vote for Labour or the Greens, Journal, 27 November) makes an interesting point about the contradictions in Labour’s manifesto policies to address the climate crisis.
These contradictions have far-reaching consequences. Take Labour’s conditional support for airport expansion. Their “case by case” approach means that up and down the country, local authorities are left to struggle with planning applications for individual airport expansion plans. Up and down the country, groups and individuals concerned by this have to spend weeks and months, arguing the case against – and all within the constraints of the local planning process, which was never set up as a means of tackling the climate emergency.
In the midst of a global climate crisis there is nothing local about airport expansion. It is a national issue which demands a national policy against any UK airport expansion.
Tony Jones
Bristol
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