UK Policies 2019-2020
Page under development
This is a round-up of relevant declarations of intent and may be useful if you wish to follow up with your elected representative on progress to date
May 2019 Declared an Environmental and Climate Emergency (this was Parliament, not the Government)
UK Parliament declares climate change emergency - BBC News
June 2019 Net Zero Emissions Law Passed
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-becomes-first-major-economy-to-pass-net-zero-emissions-law
November 2019 Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking) development halted (not banned)
Fracking halted in England in major government U-turn Fracking The Guardian
February 2020 Phasing out of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 (hybrid by 2035)
Petrol and diesel car sales ban brought forward to 2035 - BBC News
February 2020 Heathrow expansion declared unlawful
Judgement overturned by Supreme Court - December 2020
Court of Appeal declares Heathrow airport expansion unlawful, as it did not account for the UK commitments to the Paris Agreement – 27 Feb 2020
Judgement overturned by the Supreme Court - 16 Dec 2020[3]
https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2020-0042-judgment.pdf
March 2020 Ban lifted on Onshore Wind Farm subsidies
Government lifts ban on onshore wind power financing, 4 years after ending support for new projects
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/02/uk-government-lifts-block-on-new-onshore-windfarm-subsidies
UK Policy 2020-2021
September 2020 Commitment to protect 30% of land in the UK
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-commits-to-protect-30-of-uk-land-in-boost-for-biodiversity
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/news/uk-government-announces-commitment-30-land-nature-2030-wildlife-trusts-re
November 2020 Ten point plan for a Green Industrial Revolution
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-ten-point-plan-for-a-green-industrial-revolution
Boris Johnson announces 10-point green plan with 250,000 jobs Green politics The Guardian
December 2020 Increased commitment to reduction of emissions by at least 68% by 2030
https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/ndcstaging/PublishedDocuments/United%20Kingdom%20of%20Great%20Britain%20and%20Northern%20Ireland%20First/UK%20Nationally%20Determined%20Contribution.pdf
December 2020 End of direct government support for the overseas fossil fuel sector announced (no date set)
UK Pledges an End to Financing for Overseas Fossil Fuel Projects Earth.Org - Past Present | Future
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-announces-the-uk-will-end-support-for-fossil-fuel-sector-overseas
February 2021 The Dasgupta review ‘The Economics of Biodiversity’ published
https://www.wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-02/WWFUKresponseDasgupta%20Review1221.pdf
July 2021
Environment and Climate Change Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/515/environment-and-climate-change-committee/news/156897/boost-action-and-diplomacy-to-protect-nature-committee-tell- government/
The All Party Parliamentary Environment Group: https://environment.inparliament.uk/
The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/365/business-energy-and-industrial-strategy-committee/
November 2021 Hosting COP26 in Glasgow https://ukcop26.org
Here are links to examples of Environmental Policies from other UK political parties
Green Party
Manifesto summary 2019
https://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/Elections/EasyRead%20Manifesto%202019.pdf
Full manifesto
https://www.greenparty.org.uk/assets/files/Elections/Green%20Party%20Manifesto%202019.pdf
Labour Party
briefing paper (2019) - Decarbonising UK Energy by 2030
https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ThirtyBy2030report.pdf
Liberal Democrat Party
Summary https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/libdems/pages/41777/attachments/original/1505634699/SUMMARYofReport.pdf?1505634699
Detail https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/libdems/pages/41777/attachments/original/1507629485/Clean_GreenandCarbonFree-WebVersion.pdf?1507629485
Scottish National Party
List of topics https://www.gov.scot/environment-and-climate-change/
Example: renewable and Low Carbon energy https://www.gov.scot/policies/renewable-and-low-carbon-energy/
Why governments should prioritise wellbeing https://www.ted.com/talks/nicolasturgeonwhygovernmentsshouldprioritizewellbeing/transcript?language=en
(For context and further information, an article on New Zealand ‘Wellbeing budget’
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/30/new-zealand-wellbeing-budget-jacinda-ardern-unveils-billions-to-care-for-most-vulnerable
You might also want to check out the website of groups and organisations such as the WI, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Extinction Rebellion etc.