During a brief trip to the Cop28 climate conference in Dubai, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended his decision to roll back the UK’s net zero commitments by making several assertions about the country’s climate record. He stated at a press conference that he had not received any backlash from other global leaders for his actions.

The assertion is that the United Kingdom has reduced its carbon emissions at a quicker rate compared to other large economies.

It is partially true that the UK has been decarbonizing at a faster rate than other major economies since the 1990s, according to certain models. This is due to its previous reliance on coal and its swift efforts to phase it out. However, recent data suggests that Germany has actually surpassed the UK in reducing greenhouse gas emissions since the 2015 Paris agreement to combat global warming. While the UK was successful in transitioning away from coal, it may struggle to keep pace with countries that have less strict regulations for solar and wind energy, more nuclear power plants, and better-insulated homes that are less prone to energy leaks.

Assertion: The United Kingdom is a significant contributor to climate-related causes.

Based on Seek development’s report, the UK ranks as the 13th largest contributor to climate causes globally. Considering its position as the sixth largest economy in terms of GDP according to the World Bank, there is room for improvement in the UK’s efforts.

The assertion is that, despite any setbacks in achieving net zero, the UK will still successfully reach its climate goals.

Sunak stated that the UK would still be able to reach its carbon targets despite the modifications he proposed. However, the government’s climate change committee has determined that these adjustments will pose a challenge to achieving this goal.

The claim states that reversing the promises on heat pumps and insulation will result in families saving thousands of pounds.

There is room for discussion on this topic. While Sunak has implemented certain exceptions for the elimination of gas and oil boilers, there were always going to be exemptions for individuals who would struggle to heat their homes using alternative methods. It was never mandatory for anyone to switch to a heat pump – they could use a different method that did not involve a fossil fuel boiler. Additionally, the insulation regulations that were revoked only applied to landlords, who were going to be required to ensure their tenants lived in a home that was affordable to heat. While this decision may save landlords money, it could potentially result in higher costs for renters.

The assertion is that the field of climate politics is currently dysfunctional and the use of persuasive language is impeding any forward movement.

During Cop28, Sunak continuously mentioned this topic. However, he has faced criticism from scientists for making the Climate Change Committee a political issue and for labeling climate activists and other experts as “zealots”.

Source: theguardian.com