Climate and Nature Bill

The climate and nature crisis is growing ever more urgent. Yet, as the Climate Change Committee’s most recent progress report made clear, we are off track when it comes to taking action.

I therefore agree with the need to act rapidly to meet our legally binding climate targets. We need to get back on track without delay here at home, so we can lead on international climate action overseas. I welcome the immediate steps the new Government has already taken towards getting us back on track.

For example, it has removed the de facto ban on new onshore wind in England, given approval for enough solar energy to power hundreds of thousands of homes and secured a record-breaking 131 new renewable electricity projects across Britain. It has also introduced legislation to establish Great British Energy, a new publicly owned company that will own, manage and operate clean power projects throughout the country.

Beyond this, I am proud to support the Government’s green prosperity plan and its mission to deliver clean power by 2030. This includes establishing a National Wealth Fund to invest in partnership with business in the industries of the future.

It also includes working with the private sector to double onshore wind, triple solar power and quadruple offshore wind. In addition, I support a warm homes plan to invest an extra £6.6 billion over the Parliament to upgrade the energy efficiency of five million homes.

On nature, I support plans to take action to meet Environment Act targets for nature recovery. I believe we should work with civil society, communities and business to restore and protect the natural world. And I support plans to improve responsible access to nature, including planting millions of trees and creating new woodlands.

I welcome the new Government’s commitment to expanding nature-rich habitats such as wetlands, peat bogs and forests so families can explore and wildlife can thrive.

I believe the above measures will help deliver on many of the aims of the CAN Bill and can assure you that I will support action to deliver effective leadership on the climate and nature crisis