London, UK. Today the UK government released a new Climate Action Plan, setting out how it intends to meet legally binding climate targets for the next 12 years. The plan reaffirms the UK’s commitment to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with an interim target to decarbonise the UK’s electricity supply by 2030.
Climate campaigners have welcomed the government’s renewed focus on tackling the climate crisis but warn that the plan risks failure without the investment needed to scale it up. They are calling on Chancellor Rachel Reeves to use the Autumn Budget to introduce a tax on the super-rich and polluting corporations to properly fund climate action and rebuild public services.
Matilda Borgström, UK campaigner at 350.org said:
“Ordinary people are already paying the price for a crisis they didn’t cause – from failed harvests here in the UK to devastation from Hurricane Melissa overseas. The government’s plan will only work if it is funded fairly. There’s more than enough wealth in this country to pay for affordable clean energy, warm homes, and secure jobs. The question for Rachel Reeves is simple: whose side is she on, ordinary people or the super-rich?”
The wealthiest 1 percent are responsible for more emissions than two-thirds of the global population, yet continue to profit from pollution and resist regulation. Progressive taxes on billionaires and major polluters could raise billions to fund affordable renewable energy, public transport, and home insulation, cutting bills and creating good jobs across the country.
The call comes as the impacts of the climate crisis intensify. Hurricane Melissa has displaced hundreds of thousands across the Caribbean, while the UK has faced record heat, drought, and crop failures, driving up food prices and exposing the fragility of national supply chains.
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Mark Raven, [email protected], +447841474125