Caroline Lucas MP and Labour's Clive Lewis MP tabled this Bill in the House of Commons this morning:
Decarbonisation and Economic Strategy Bill
Caroline Lucas
Bill to place duties on the Secretary of State to decarbonise the United Kingdom economy and to eradicate inequality; to establish a ten-year economic and public investment strategy that prioritises decarbonisation, community and employee-led transition from high-carbon to low and zero-carbon industry, and the eradication of inequality; to require the Government to report on its adherence to the strategy; to establish higher environmental standards for air, water and green spaces; to make provision to protect and restore natural habitats; and for connected purposes.
Apparently they wanted to call it a Green New Deal Bill but weren't permitted to do so. But that's what it is.
It is just a placeholder at present; a statement of intent if you like. But symbolism matters, and no such Bill has been tabled before now. In all the current confusion it is good to see some MPs are still thinking about the big issues.
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Good luck to them.
Any idea why they were not permitted to use the term GND?
They ought to be getting support from all the opposition parties – will be informative to see what happens
It is apparently considered a slogan
And they are not allowed here
Because, I suspect, they are abused in the USA
“….and to eradicate inequality;….”
We’re not asking for much then. !!
I’d say that was a fairly stupid thing to include. Most people don’t want ‘equality’, (even if were to be meaningfully achievable or deliverable) they want something resembling social justice. That is emphatically not the same thing.
I’m not encouraged by the tabling of this Bill. Not at all.
Reducing inequality is an aim
I admit eradicating it is not going to happen
Any Green new deal worthy of the name has to cover both the large-scale roll out of renewables at all levels (large-scale to local/embedded), local content rules, and renovation of the built environment. All these actions carry with them the need for many more jobs coupled to the eduction and training needed by people to function effectively in these jobs. Thus the proposal has as an inherent quality the reduction of poverty and inequality – you will not get to a de-carbed society without the whoelsale retraining of people & the jobs they do will be skilled & thus require appropriate (& fair) levels of pay – leading to less inequality. Given the foregoing, I would have mentioned the reduction of inequality etc as an outcome – not placed it front and centre.
We need a story – narrative which is easy for people (voters) to understand. This narrative could/should be along the lines of: we will de-carb Uk society, doing so will lead to well paid medium to long term emplopyment for large numbers of people that do not enjoy this at the moment, it will also lead to warm comforable homes being the norm for everybody in the UK. The process of de-carbonisation will mean economic rejuvenation for regions that have seen over the last 40 years economic decline. The UK have renewable resources that could power the whole of Europe, for ever.
Re-phrasing one of the iconic speeches of the 20th century:
“We choose to de-carbonise the UK in this decade not because it is easy, but because it is hard; because that goal will serve to organise and measure the best of the energies and skills in this country, and because that challenge is one that we as a country are willing to accept, one we as acountry are unwilling to postpone, and one we as a country intend to win.”
Be nice if Corbyn stood up and said that – the tories would have no answer.
Mike Parr says:
“Be nice if Corbyn stood up and said that — the tories would have no answer.”
Yes it would, but he’s got a dickhead Chancellor and economics team who reject the veracity of the economic realities which would make it possible for him to deliver it.
So he might aswell save his breath. 🙁
British Green New Deal: Where do I sign up?
https://scottishscientist.wordpress.com/2015/03/08/scotland-electricity-generation-my-plan-for-2020/comment-page-1/#comment-12080
My Renewable Energy Blog
https://scottishscientist.wordpress.com/
* Wind, storage and back-up system designer
* Double Tidal Lagoon Baseload Scheme
* Off-Shore Electricity from Wind, Solar and Hydrogen Power
* World’s biggest-ever pumped-storage hydro-scheme, for Scotland?
* Modelling of wind and pumped-storage power
* Scotland Electricity Generation — my plan for 2020
* South America — GREAT for Renewable Energy
Interesting question….
I have asked Caroline
It’s good and hope-provoking seeing a Green and Labour MP (God forbid!!) working constructively together.