Labour’s reduction of proposed spending on home insulation will negatively impact millions of people on low incomes, leaving them in cold, damp homes. This decision could also hinder the UK’s ability to meet its legally binding carbon targets, according to campaigners and housebuilders.
The Federation of Master Builders criticized the significant scaling back of Labour’s low-carbon policies, announced by Keir Starmer on Thursday after months of speculation.
Brian Berry, chief executive of the body representing the building trade, expressed disappointment with the Labour party’s decision to reduce its ambition to retrofit 19m homes to just 5m. He emphasized that the new plans are insufficient and will barely address the need for insulation, missing out on the opportunities it offers for energy savings and economic benefits.
Many major housebuilders have been generous donors to the Tory party in the past decade, but the industry was generally supportive of Labour’s plans for 1.5m new homes.
Energy experts also warned that Labour’s decision to slash its home insulation program could put the government at risk of failing to meet legally binding targets on carbon reduction and ending fuel poverty by 2030.
The 4m homes that will not be insulated by 2030 under the new plans would account for about 1% of the UK’s emissions in that year, leaving a substantial gap in the UK’s commitment to cut emissions by 68% by 2030 under the Paris agreement.
Juliet Phillips, UK energy lead at the environmental thinktank E3G, emphasized the importance of investing in warmer homes to solve the fuel poverty crisis and the urgent need to rebuild supply chains and bring up standards in the private rented sector.
Experts and campaigners also warned of major gaps in Labour’s “green prosperity plan” that may hinder the UK’s chances of meeting milestone targets on the way to net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Transport, water infrastructure, and nature are not addressed in the new plan, despite their significant impact on carbon emissions in the UK.
2024-02-10 01:00:36
Post from www.theguardian.com