The Conservatives must reject climate change “luddites” on both the right and the left, Sir James Cleverly will warn on Wednesday.
In a speech to the Conservative Environment Network (CEN), the former home secretary is expected to urge his party to “push further, faster and smarter” and “set the pace” internationally on green technology.
As first reported in the Daily Telegraph, he will argue that the UK is “caught between two tribes of neo-luddites”, criticising a “negative right” that claims “the way things are now is just fine” and a “negative left” that is “suspicious of technology”.
He will say: “The ‘let’s not move forward’ tribe is in a bidding war with the ‘let’s move backwards’ tribe. They’re both wrong.”
The intervention, Sir James’s first major speech since last year’s Tory leadership election, comes after Kemi Badenoch declared herself a “net zero sceptic”.
The Conservative leader kicked off her party’s policy renewal process in March by saying it was “impossible” to reach net zero by 2050, a target the Tories had been committed to since 2019.
Meanwhile, Reform UK has pledged to scrap net zero entirely and its deputy leader, Richard Tice, has claimed there is “no evidence” for man-made climate change, contrary to scientific consensus.
In his CEN speech, Sir James is expected to urge a different course, saying the Conservatives “must embrace a future where environmental polities encourage investment in new technologies, support the development of new industries, and create the jobs of tomorrow”.
Drawing on Britain’s “proud history of innovation”, he will say: “We can lead once again, this time in the realm of green technology.
“While government plays a role, the private sector must be the engine driving this green revolution.
“The UK is advancing rapidly in renewable energy generation, clean transport, and carbon capture. But we must push further, faster and smarter.”
The former foreign secretary will also call for the UK to play a leadership role on climate and export new technologies around the world.
And he will warn that nations such as China could take the lead internationally if Britain steps back.
Sir James will say: “It’s in our national interest to ensure no country – whether China or anyone else – monopolises the resources powering tomorrow’s industries.”
