BYM ‘disappointed’ by UK net zero strategy
‘While innovation is important, it should not be prioritised at the expense of lower-cost, readily available approaches.’
Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM) has expressed ‘profound disappointment and concern’ that the revised net zero strategy announced on 30 March provides ‘so little of what is needed to meet the vast challenge of ending the fossil fuel era’.
Writing on the Quakers in Britain website, it said: ‘UK climate policy remains a dispiriting mix of vague pledges and appeasement of the oil and gas industry, with still no plan for how, and how fast, each sector of the economy will reduce its emissions and be weaned off fossil fuels.’
It said that the re-announced commitments on offshore wind and home insulation ‘offer nothing new – and their contribution to climate targets will be wiped out by the ongoing policy of maximising oil and gas production in the North Sea’.
In its response to the government-commissioned review of net zero led by Chris Skidmore MP, BYM wrote: ‘While innovation is important, it should not be prioritised at the expense of lower-cost, readily available approaches.’
It said that the revised strategy continues this ‘irresponsible approach of focusing on high-risk, unproven technologies’. It also focuses heavily on hydrogen and in particular carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS). These tools are favoured by the fossil fuel industry because ‘they leave the door open to the continued expansion of oil and gas’.
It said the strategy also ignores the urgent need for a mass programme of home retrofitting for energy efficiency.
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