Dr Neil Hudson MP has thrown his weight behind the Prime Minister’s vows to take forward a pragmatic, proportionate and realistic path to reach Net Zero by 2050 without placing the burden on British families – and in particular countryside communities.
The UK has set the most ambitious target to reduce carbon emissions by 68% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels – and is the only major economy to have set a target of 77% for 2035. This over-delivery on reducing emissions provides space to take a more pragmatic, proportionate, and realistic approach to reaching net zero, while maintaining all the UK’s international commitments.
As such the Prime Minister has set forward revised plans to ease the burden on working people. New measures include moving back the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars by five years, delaying the ban on installing oil and LPG boilers for off-gas-grid homes to 2035, and exempting certain homes from the fossil fuel boiler phase out completely.
These changes will not require the UK to change or abandon its upcoming emissions targets and the Prime Minister is unequivocal that the UK meet its international agreements including the critical promises in Paris and Glasgow to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. Moreover, the Prime Minister has doubled down on his pledge to reach Net Zero by 2050.
Rural champion, Dr Neil Hudson has welcomed these measures which are particularly beneficial for rural communities already contending with global inflationary pressures. This is because the rural housing stock relies disproportionately on oil or LPG heating systems and people rely more heavily on diesel and petrol cars to get around. Geographical challenges also make EV infrastructure difficult to implement, meaning a more planned and gradual transition would be beneficial to rural motorists.
On top of this the PM has given assurances to farmers that they are supported against possible meat taxes, that would be detrimental to their business models but also the nation's food security in general. In fact, the Prime Minister met with farming students in Essex to discuss how his Net Zero announcement will aid their agriculture and animal science careers.
Dr Hudson was joined by rural campaigners in welcoming the Government’s new countryside-friendly approach to reaching Net Zero. For instance, the Country Land and Business Association has long pushed against the ban on new oil boilers which would have a disproportionate impact on rural communities. The Countryside Alliance mirrored this sentiment and called for improved EV infrastructure to support rural communities before the transition from fossil fuels.
Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
“Our Conservative Government is staying true to our Net Zero manifesto pledges and already has made huge progress, now contributing less than 1% of global emissions.
"That is why we can refocus our strategy and ease the burdens for people across the nation and bring all communities forward together.
"This is particularly true for the rural communities I champion in Parliament. Put simply, overly rapid boiler and fossil fuel car bans would be disproportionately crippling for the countryside which faces lack of gas-grid and electric vehicle charging capacity challenges.
"Moreover, the Prime Minister has made concrete commitments to our brilliant British farmers supporting them and thus standing up for the nation's food security - something I am extremely passionate about.
"This is a win for the environment and the rural economy - and one I am proud to support."
While protecting people from unfair costs, the Government's new approach will embrace and accelerate burgeoning green industry opportunities. As well as cementing the UK's energy security against malign foreign actors, measure will usher in jobs and investment throughout the whole of the UK. These include:
- Lifting the ban on onshore wind.
- New carbon capture storage.
- New small modular reactors.
- Funding for Sizewell C.
- Speeding up energy security projects.
For more information, read the full release from the Prime Minister's Office here.
