The 2020 Budget has had mixed reviews from environmentalists! All of whom were hoping for a much greener budget than has been delivered.
Some anti-pollution measures have included:
- Removing tax breaks on diesel which should reduce air pollution in our cities
- Increasing tax on polluting Gas.
- Others positives have included reducing tax on electricity. This comes from increasingly renewable sources, doubling research and development into energy research to £1bn.
There is also good news for the recycling industry with:
- A new tax on plastic waste containing less than 30% recycled plastic
- A pledge to double spending on flood defences. Thus doubling spending by committing a further £5.2bn to allow investment in infrastructure. Alongside this, it makes way for investment in nature-based solutions. Thus protecting vulnerable communities.
- They have also committed to plant more trees over the next 5 years. This is equivalent to a forest bigger than the size of Birmingham.
- All of which sounds great!
However the Governments £27bn road building programme over the next 5 years has not been so well received by Environmentalists. Whist we all want better infrastructure in the UK, this must be balanced by off-setting the damage to the environment. Especially if we are ever to get to Net Zero.
There could well be further action by the green community over this building programme. Particularly since their recent successful appeal against the Heathrow expansion scheme. All because it was deemed the Government did not take “enough account” of its commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change.
It is time governments put their money where their mouth is and implement game-changing measures that will have a REAL impact on climate change instead of tinkering on the edges. WE all want it, and we must keep pushing our Politician’s to action before it’s too late.
