THE WEST Midlands branch of Friends of the Earth has criticised Chancellor Jeremy Hunt over last week’s Autumn Statement.
Chris Crean said bold action to tackle the cost-of-living and climate crises should have been at the heart of the document and has pointed out some moves which could have been taken.
He said a nationwide energy efficiency drive is essential, but the Chancellor’s proposals were far too little and late.
Included in the statement should have been plans for more home insulation.
“The government should have listened to its own climate advisors, the Climate Change Committee, who only last week called for an urgent and rapid roll out of loft and cavity wall insulation.”
He added a £5billion-a-year street-by-street home insulation programme, focusing on those most in need first, would reduce the nation’s use of expensive gas, slash energy bills, create jobs and cut carbon emissions.
“It’s a scandal that even with emergency financial support millions of people are still being left to shiver in heat-leaking homes due to soaring energy bills.
“With the price cap set to rise from next April, urgent action is needed to protect those most at risk.”
On the windfall tax proposal Mr Crean said, while that was welcome, it was undermined by the failure to close a loophole which allowed fossil fuel firms to avoid paying most of it if they invested in more gas and oil.
“We won’t build a clean, green and prosperous future while we continue to subsidise our reliance on fossil fuels.”
Mr Crean also accused the Chancellor of not listening to the Prime Minister when he promised to make the UK a clean energy superpower at the climate summit last week.
“If he had, he would surely have signalled an end to the planning barriers which hamper the development of onshore wind in England.
“It’s cheaper than gas, popular and there’s plenty of it. “Instead, his tax on renewable energy companies risks reducing investment into much needed clean energy.”
And the West Midlands Friends of the Earth said the ‘climate hungry transport’ HS2 should have been scrapped or severely reviewed.
