Secure A Greener Future
The climate crisis is already here, and we must act now to avert catastrophe and build a new, high-tech green economy with opportunity for all.
The Climate Crisis is already affecting us and we must act now to preserve our world for our children and generations to come.
We are committed to the preservation of the environment alongside building a prosperous future for our country, therefore the Liberal Democrats pledge to set a new legally binding target to make the UK a Net Zero country by 2045. This is 5 years earlier than the target that the Conservatives have set. A target they are clearly prepared to flout.
The Liberal Democrat plan will require all UK based businesses to set targets consistent with national goals on climate change and regulate financial services to encourage and invest in green energy and enterprises. We would set up an Office of Environmental Protection that is fully independent of government and capable of holding to account those in power.
We can do all this whilst ensuring that the U.K. gets back to the forefront of technological innovation. We are passionate about demonstrating that the green economy of the future is one that works for all of us.
We would push for accelerated deployment of renewable power, providing more funding and removing the Conservatives’ restrictions on zero carbon power to speed up the rate at which power in our country becomes green. As part of this acceleration, we will push for the U.K. to uprate its nuclear power generation capabilities, creating jobs and helping to cut household energy bills over the long-term. This is an investment in our future that we must make.
The rise in energy prices has affected us all, and therefore we would look to cut energy bills and insulate our homes as top priority. This can be achieved by reducing the taxation on home insulation and empowering our local council to deliver housing energy efficiency improvements street by street throughout Chelsea and Fulham. We want all new homes and buildings built throughout the constituency to be built to a zero carbon standard through the implementation of both insulation and renewable energy sources.
London is comparatively fortunate to have extensive public transport coverage, but we will squander this blessing if we lose it. Therefore maintaining investment in the numerous bus routes and tube stations within the area is key not just for our livelihood in Chelsea & Fulham but for our future too. That's why we oppose any reduction in bus service in this area.
Living in the ULEZ zone means that the transition to ultra low emission vehicles must be accelerated, and subsidising the cost of that transition is one of the most effective things an ambitious, green government can do. Liberal Democrats called on the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to expand the ULEZ scrappage scheme for almost a year before he finally realised that he would have to. We can speed up the take up of electric vehicles by reforming vehicle taxation and cutting VAT on EVs to 5 per cent, increasing the rate of installation of charging points in our residential areas at the same time. By 2030, every car and van sold in the UK should be electric.
We will face the climate crisis head on alongside you. We can achieve energy independence, cut our soaring energy bills and create a new high skill export industry by investing in green technology, renewable energy and our nuclear power generation capabilities all while building a prosperous and growing Chelsea and Fulham.