Oral Answers to Questions

Kerry McCarthy Excerpts

Wednesday 20th July 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We now come to the shadow Minister, Kerry McCarthy.

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

Last month the Climate Change Committee issued a scathing annual progress report warning of “major policy failures” and “scant evidence of delivery” on net zero. This week, as we have heard, the Government had to be dragged to court to be told their climate plans are so woefully inadequate that they are unlawful and must be revised.

What kind of leadership does it set if the country holding the COP presidency cannot get its own house in order? I know the COP President will say that the Conservative party’s leadership candidates have paid lip service to net zero, but does he really have any confidence that things will get better?

[Alok Sharma]

The Climate Change Committee has described the net zero strategy as “ambitious” and

“the world’s most comprehensive plan to reach net zero”.

I have discussed the legal findings, but the principle is right. We need to do everything we can to make sure we deal with this issue. The last few days have been a real wake-up call for everyone in this country, and it is what many millions of people across the world experience on a regular basis. We have to deal with this issue.