Whoever succeeds Boris Johnson as UK prime minister, whether from the far-right wing of the Tory party or sticking to the centre, is likely to be a disappointment to environmental campaigners.
Although Johnson’s record in government on environmental policies was patchy at best, he was widely seen as the primary champion of climate action and environmental issues in government. He chaired the UN Climate Summit Cop26 in Glasgow; three vital pieces of environmental legislation in the Environment Bill, the Agriculture Bill and the Fisheries Bill; and the net zero strategy.
Sometimes his actions may have failed, but even die-hard green activists admit that his rhetoric was at least usually green.
In this he was largely alone in his office. Zach Goldsmith, the climate secretary who was elevated to the Lords by Johnson, tweeted on Wednesday night: “Most of the likely contenders [for leadership] are people who generally do not care about the climate and nature.’
Tom Burke, a veteran government adviser and co-founder of the green think tank E3G, added: “The environment was seen as a Johnson priority, not a Tory priority.”
Some of the leading candidates have a recent record of opposing or downplaying climate action while in office. Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, has been at war with No 10 on net zero, scrapping almost every policy – from insulation to renewable energy – that could boost the UK’s climate battle. Liz Truss, despite being foreign secretary, played almost no role at the Cop26 UN climate summit in Glasgow last November and did not mention climate in speeches and meetings with her foreign counterparts.
Yet this is a crucial moment for the climate. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has said the world has reached a “now or never” tipping point: drastic action now could limit global temperature rises to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, but otherwise we face irreversible and catastrophic changes.
The next Prime Minister will shape the UK’s role in ways that will evolve for years. The UK is facing a spike in gas bills this winter. Insulation would help, but there are no plans to insulate UK households with drafts, and although more renewable energy is being built, wind farms still face hurdles in the planning system.
In addition, two vital posts will soon become vacant: the chairman of the Environment Agency and the chairman of the Climate Change Committee, a position held by former Conservative environment secretary John Gummer. The Prime Minister can effectively make both appointments.
A number of government bills have been delayed, but beyond the legislation there are important decisions that will have a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions for years to come. A decision has been delayed, but is due soon, on a new coal mine proposed in Cumbria, for which Gummer, who is Lord Deben, said there was no justification. A moratorium on fracking could also be lifted, while a windfall tax would offer billions in taxes to fossil fuel companies, potentially including frackers.
At this crucial moment, when the stakes have never been higher and with public support clearly in favor of climate action, the right wing of the Tory party has come out in full flood against net zero. David Frost, a Brexit hero for many on the right, took to the media to blame the drive for net zero for rising energy prices, despite the fact that fossil fuel prices have risen and clear evidence that renewable energy is reducing bills.
Green campaigners point out that the next leader of the Tory party will have to woo not only the small group of party members but also the electorate as a whole. They warned would-be candidates not to ignore public opinion, which is consistently above 60% in favor of climate action in a wide range of polls.
Some of the potential leadership candidates and their green credentials
Rishi Sunak
While chancellor, Sunak often vetoed moves that would have reduced greenhouse gas emissions but cost the public purse. The green housing grant was a rare example of it allowing funding for such a project, but it was mismanaged and ended in disaster. Since then, no significant new green policies requiring public funding have been authorized. At Cop26, he highlighted the UK’s funding of overseas climate finance for developing countries and action to force banks and other companies to report their emissions. Green score: 2/5
Liz Truss
Truss has always seemed impatient in her two-year stint as environment secretary under David Cameron, giving the strong impression that she is eager to move on to something she sees as simpler. As foreign secretary, she played almost no role at Cop26 last November, the biggest diplomatic gathering on British soil since World War II, and failed to mention the environment or climate in speeches and meetings with foreign counterparts. She has yet to come out against net zero. Green score: 1/5
Michael Gove
A self-confessed “shy green Tory”, Gove won the respect of many green campaigners during his tenure as environment secretary, when he presented a 25-year environment plan and launched several green pieces of legislation, including a new environment law and farm reforms subsidies. During his recent role in equalization, he advised against fracking and prepared to take on developers for energy efficiency standards. Green score: 4/5
Jeremy Hunt
Within his constituency, Hunt has backed efforts to stop fossil fuel development and said bidding for the chance to host Cop26 was a proud moment for him as foreign secretary. He has also said little publicly on environmental issues, but he joined the Conservative Environment Network earlier this year and is not on the anti-net zero wing. Green score: 3/5
Suella Braverman
On his website, the Attorney General states: “I strongly believe in protecting both the UK’s vital ecosystem and the world’s natural environment. Environmental and economic progress are not simply compatible: they depend on each other. The Government is committed to being the greenest UK ever.”However, closer inspection reveals this as a clichéd statement repeated by many Tory MPs. She tried to crack down on climate activists in her legal post, imposing bans on Insulate Britain protesters. Green score: 1/5
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Sajid Javid
The Bromsgrove MP says he has “been on a journey” when it comes to climate and biodiversity, but that they are now among his passions. He called for biodiversity to be included in GDP and, although popular with some on the more right-wing conservatives, said being a free marketeer need not be at odds with strong environmental policies. He also wants a new international body to encourage companies to finance and implement green measures. He’s also not afraid to call out those who don’t care about nature, including Donald Trump, and is understood to be considering intervening on climate policy in the near future. Green score: 3.5/5
Steve Baker
Brexiteer Baker revealed to the Guardian that he is considering standing on a platform that includes stripping green policies of farming subsidies that prioritize the nature of the push for solar and wind power, and wants gas and nuclear power to be classified as green. He said telling children about the climate crisis was “child abuse”. He supports fracking, is a trustee of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, a climate-skeptic think tank, and co-founded the Net Zero Scrutiny Group of Tory MPs accused of trying to turn climate into a “culture war” issue. Green score: 0/5
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