Boris Johnson has a duty to take on the climate crisis
Boris Johnson’s overall majority means he has huge responsibility for tackling the climate emergency in the wake of a disappointing COP25 outcome, the Scottish Greens have warned.
Following a general election which saw the climate crisis cut through the noise around Brexit and the constitution, Boris Johnson now takes charge of a government which will sit for half the time climate science tells us we have left to tackle the issue.
However, there are reports Number 10 has indicated he will roll back on promises made before the election to retain workers' rights and environmental safeguards in post-Brexit deals. [1]
Scottish Green environment spokesperson Mark Ruskell said: “Boris Johnson has been handed an enormous amount of power by this general election result. What he cannot do now is shirk the responsibility.
“The COP25 compromise was very concerning because it contained little in the way of new ambition. It is incumbent on world leaders to act urgently, and if Boris Johnson doesn’t want to be ridiculed when he opens COP26 in Glasgow he’d better get his act together.
“That starts with his imminent trade deal with the USA. Johnson has a duty to push Donald Trump to recognise the climate emergency, not use it to rip up our environmental protections.
“Given the Conservative manifesto failed to propose any serious measures to lower the UK’s emissions, then the new government will need to move swiftly to come up with plans to clean up our economy. Our Scottish Green New Deal could provide a starting point for a low carbon revolution.”