Tory U-Turn on green policies

Whitewave I think you know perfectly well that I don’t support the far right, and you know because I’ve mentioned it before, that my father fought against fascism in WW2. Neither myself nor my family are, or ever have been, far right! My politics are different than yours. I would never call left wingers communists, nor far left, we are left or we are right. We agree or disagree, we agree to differ.

You are right that no one has to change their boiler in 2030. They never did. The date for the boilers was always 2035. And it remains so, but no one will need to change their boiler unless it is necessary now. That will be a relief to so many people, especially the poorest in our society, who will struggle to find the money anyway. And so in that I agree with you, no one will be forced to change their boiler in 2035 any longer.

This delay doesn’t stop anyone buying an electric vehicle, fitting solar panels, recycling, fitting a heat pump or generally doing whatever personally they can to mitigate their carbon footprint.

Also just a reminder that the U.K. produces approximately 1% of emissions worldwide.

The world will continue to burn until such time as all world leaders adopt a net zero goal.

As for far right slurs against posters…

Many industries and businesses are well on the way to preparing for 2030, Sunak is certainly not on the side of business, it is bad for the U.K. we can see what is happening to the climate, in what universe does slowing down mitigation improve the situation.

Austerity of course stopped the grants for alternative heating, solar, and insulation. It’s the schools all over again. If they had continued with the sensible plans we would be well on the way towards mitigating carbon.

Whitewavemark2

Many industries and businesses are well on the way to preparing for 2030, Sunak is certainly not on the side of business, it is bad for the U.K. we can see what is happening to the climate, in what universe does slowing down mitigation improve the situation.

Austerity of course stopped the grants for alternative heating, solar, and insulation. It’s the schools all over again. If they had continued with the sensible plans we would be well on the way towards mitigating carbon.

This announcement in no way stops industries or businesses from working towards 2030, all it does is give those which are struggling a bit of leeway.

Businesses have taken a hit with Covid, inflation and some cases problems with staffing levels.

NET ZERO TARGET IS STILL 2050

biglouis

*The scrapping of rules to make landlords improve energy efficiency doesn't help tenants, who will be the ones paying higher energy bills*

Im not a landlord and I dont like LLs but scrapping the unrealistic changes that were being foisted on LLs in an unrealistically shrt time is a good thing.

Under the proposed legislation LLs had until 2028 to raise the EPC of their property to a C. Now with many older Victorian and prewar houses this was going to be impossible. And the cost would never have been recouped in energy savings.

For example, digging up a concrete floor in a 1980s house (such as mine) to install underfloor heating would cost thousands but the savings might be £35 per year. What kind of business sense is that?

This is yet another reason LLs have been selling their portfolios before the new regulations came in and thereby further reducing the stock of private rental properties, Now we hear of 30/40 tenants going after each new rental and engaging in bidding wars to secure somewhere to live.

There is an old saying - be careful of what you wish for because you might get it!

Why does the floor need digging up?

You really have no idea what you're talking about.

I live in a rented house and have an EPC C. The reasons it's not higher is because I don't have sufficient lagging in my roof and my heating system is inefficient. A combi boiler would sort that out. The system is 18 years old and the landlord is aware that it needs replacing. The house next door has just been done. When I move, the landlord has already decided to increase the roof insulation.

An EPC D means that tenants are being forced to live in accommodation with very inefficient heating systems, sometimes causing mould and damp - and they're paying the bills! Yes, you're quite right. There's a shortage of rented accommodation, so they don't have much choice.

It's a disgrace that landlords are allowed to rent out property which isn't fit for purpose ie providing healthy living spaces. A C efficiency rating should be possible for all houses/flats.

Sunak is still committed to the 2050 net zero target.
Sunak is still committed to the 2050 net zero target.
Sunak is still committed to the 2050 net zero target.

I look forward to him explaining what measures will now be necessary to reach it.

GrannyGravy13

Whitewavemark2

Many industries and businesses are well on the way to preparing for 2030, Sunak is certainly not on the side of business, it is bad for the U.K. we can see what is happening to the climate, in what universe does slowing down mitigation improve the situation.

Austerity of course stopped the grants for alternative heating, solar, and insulation. It’s the schools all over again. If they had continued with the sensible plans we would be well on the way towards mitigating carbon.

This announcement in no way stops industries or businesses from working towards 2030, all it does is give those which are struggling a bit of leeway.

Businesses have taken a hit with Covid, inflation and some cases problems with staffing levels.

*NET ZERO TARGET IS STILL 2050*

Yes of course because it is written in law.

And, of course, what will now be necessary for the UK to hit its legally mandated 2030 targets.

How are businesses struggling?

The car industry needs stability and certainty.
Sunak is providing neither.

Fleurpepper wrote: "We, our grandchildren actually, DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR 'AFFORDABLE' PACE.

I am disgusted with going back on all the promises, live exports, animal and pet imports, sewerage, and now this."

I ,Caleo , am with you F.

Whitewavemark (above) presents the practical immediate effect of Sunak on the mainstay of Brit industry

Whitewavemark2

How are businesses struggling?

The car industry needs stability and certainty.
Sunak is providing neither.

It’s hasn’t been easy to run any business since Covid added to which any business that operates in the red , has a mortgage etc will have higher costs due to the rise in interest rates.

This statement shouldn’t make that much difference to the car industry not according to a family member who is in management position for an EV production line.

As another poster already said ‘common sense prevails’ 👍🏻
As someone in an old terraced house with not much available cash I’m relieved with Sunak’s statement.You can’t rush these things, many other countries aren’t rushing either and have worse emissions than the UK.They are thinking of peoples lives.
For posters calling others far right or non thinking, just stop the insults. I’m a Labour voter and live in a Labour stronghold sort of area and many here will be glad to know things have been pushed back somewhat, and we have time to prepare ourselves for it.It’s still going to happen but not too rapidly.

Thank you for the links DiamondLily

His 7 bins, taxed meat and car sharing claims have been debunked. He has admitted that he doesn't know who might have said these things to start with: 🙄

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/rishi-sunak-net-zero-seven-bins-b2415824.html

As for car manufacturers, Ford do not sound too happy":

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/net-zero-rishi-sunak-2050-2030-b2414879.html

Oreo

As another poster already said ‘common sense prevails’ 👍🏻
As someone in an old terraced house with not much available cash I’m relieved with Sunak’s statement.You can’t rush these things, many other countries aren’t rushing either and have worse emissions than the UK.They are thinking of peoples lives.
For posters calling others far right or non thinking, just stop the insults. I’m a Labour voter and live in a Labour stronghold sort of area and many here will be glad to know things have been pushed back somewhat, and we have time to prepare ourselves for it.It’s still going to happen but not too rapidly.

As another poster already said ‘common sense prevails’ 👍🏻 Oreo

There really is no such thing as common sense as, what seems to be sense to one cultural group, will feel like nonsense to another cultural group. It is simply a way to pat oneself on the back and be slightly rude to others.

Facts are what matters. Of course there would have to be help available for Sunak's "hard-pressed people" were he able to recognise them. It's worth remembering that these measures will generally help people have a better life even without the policies 'greenness' credentials.

What the UK does has little effect on climate change because all we have done is to import more from countries that have not reduced pollution, we have run down our industry and exported the CO2 production.

Good post @ 01.43 biglouise.

This thing about the UK producing only 1% of emissions doesn't mean we don't need to do any more.
One reason our emissions are relatively low is that we have more or less outsourced industrial production to other countries, notably China.
There are many other countries who also produce 1% of emissions. Together the UK and those countries produce a lot of emissions. And as other countries start reducing, our proportion of emissions is going to go up unless we go on reducing them ourselves. Being smug and thinking we've done it is not good enough.
This is a crisis and we have to live differently from now on. Until the clever scientists and engineers work out how to store electricity, I imagine that life will be more like the 50s and early 60s, which we remember.

I really don’t want to return to the 50s and early 60s when my childhood home only had open fires (coal!) and no central heating. Ice on the inside of the bedroom window. You can live in that way if you wish but I doubt many will do likewise. We have an air source heat pump, fitted when the house was built. If we didn’t our only means of heating would be oil, like a great many in rural areas.

Oreo

As another poster already said ‘common sense prevails’ 👍🏻
As someone in an old terraced house with not much available cash I’m relieved with Sunak’s statement.You can’t rush these things, many other countries aren’t rushing either and have worse emissions than the UK.They are thinking of peoples lives.
For posters calling others far right or non thinking, just stop the insults. I’m a Labour voter and live in a Labour stronghold sort of area and many here will be glad to know things have been pushed back somewhat, and we have time to prepare ourselves for it.It’s still going to happen but not too rapidly.

Which is why people in old terraced houses with limited income should receive government support to install more efficient systems. In the end, you would benefit from lower fuel bills and you would reduce pollution.

Germanshepherdsmum

I really don’t want to return to the 50s and early 60s when my childhood home only had open fires (coal!) and no central heating. Ice on the inside of the bedroom window. You can live in that way if you wish but I doubt many will do likewise. We have an air source heat pump, fitted when the house was built. If we didn’t our only means of heating would be oil, like a great many in rural areas.

I don't want to live that either.

PS. You forgot the mould in the bathroom.

We didn’t have that, Mum was a better housewife than me!

Oreo

As another poster already said ‘common sense prevails’ 👍🏻
As someone in an old terraced house with not much available cash I’m relieved with Sunak’s statement.You can’t rush these things, many other countries aren’t rushing either and have worse emissions than the UK.They are thinking of peoples lives.
For posters calling others far right or non thinking, just stop the insults. I’m a Labour voter and live in a Labour stronghold sort of area and many here will be glad to know things have been pushed back somewhat, and we have time to prepare ourselves for it.It’s still going to happen but not too rapidly.

I don't see what your problem is. Nobody is asking you to change your car or your central heating system right this minute.

Just do it when you normally would, at the end of its useful life, and replace with a system or vehicle which conforms to the requirements for achieving net zero.

The UK takes up nowhere near 1% of the occupied space on Earth, so being responsible for that percentage of emissions is not particularly laudable.

Having said that, I can't see the sense in making people scrap anything - boilers, cars, whatever, even if it is to replace them with more efficient models using more 'friendly' fuels. It can't be ecologically sound to throw away working items and force people to buy new ones. We have always hung onto things, preferring to wait until absolutely necessary to replace them - so much now seems to be about built-in obsolescence, and policies that exacerbate that can't be sensible.