Christian Aid response to the Budget
Responding to today’s Budget, Christian Aid’s Global Climate Lead, Dr Kat Kramer, said:
“Even with the threat of the coronavirus a clear economic concern of the government, it was good to see that climate action was a not insignificant part of today’s budget.
“Climate impacts are already impacting people – both the vulnerable people of the Global South, and flood affected people here in the UK. It is therefore understandable to see strong investments in flood defenses being announced for the UK. As the UK will host the global climate negotiations at COP26 in Glasgow in November, the UK needs to commit to similar support to other countries to adapt to their severe climate impacts.
“It is excellent to see the government begin to take some necessary steps to draw down the fossil fuel industry: the tax on pollution and increasing the levy on gas, as well as a plastic tax all recognise the harm the fossil fuel industry does to our air, our lungs and our environment. The government should announce an end to all public finance support for fossil fuels in the UK and overseas: they should not be underwriting the 40,000 UK deaths per year from air pollution, never mind fueling the climate crisis.
“While these announcements are welcome, we call on the government to put forward a comprehensive legislation to implement the Climate Change Act this summer, that sets the UK economy on a rapid path to near-zero emissions. This is essential for the UK to have any international credibility as host of the UN climate talks this November.”