DUP MP Sammy Wilson slams UK climate change goals to reduce carbon emissions

In 2008 he made headlines when, as Stormont Environment minister, he angered green campaigners by describing their view on climate change as a “hysterical pseudo-religion”.

His comments come as the CCC unveiled its Sixth Carbon Budget which aims to slash polluting emissions by almost 80% by 2035.

CCC Chairman, Lord Deben, said: “The Sixth Carbon Budget is a clear message to the world that the UK is open for low-carbon business. It’s ambitious, realistic and affordable. This is the right carbon budget for the UK at the right time. We deliver our recommendations to Government with genuine enthusiasm, knowing that Britain’s decisive zero-carbon transition brings real benefits to our people and our businesses while making the fundamental changes necessary to protect our planet.”

The CCC says its goals can be met through four key steps;-

1) Replacing almost all new cars and vans and boilers with electric alternatives by the early 2030s. And by 2040, adopting low carbon trucks, with industry shifting to renewable electricity or hydrogen.

2) Converting UK electricity production to zero carbon emission by 2035, primarily through offshore wind farms.

3) A national programme of improving home insulation and by reducing consumption of high carbon meat and dairy products, plus travelling less miles by car and air.

4) By 2035, removing greenhouse gases with 460,00 hectares of new woodland and switching 260,000 hectares of farmland to producing energy crops.

But Mr Wilson derided the plans.

“Just when we thought the Covid-19 vaccine was going to release us from the impositions on our freedom imposed by the Chief Medical Officers and their pliant Health Ministers, a new bunch of killjoys intent on removing our freedoms from us have emerged in the form of the Climate Change Committee,” he said.

He added: “The committee is utilising the tactics of fear, this time about the future of the planet, to instruct us to fly and drive less, stop eating meat and put less butter on our toast.

“Doubtless to say, these restrictions will not apply to the rich, famous and powerful. They will still be able to fly in their private jets, zoom around the world with their climate saving message, enjoy their chauffeur driven cars and have no worries about how to pay their next inflated fuel bill.

“We already suffer from high levels of fuel poverty in the UK and just as Health Ministers have been condemned for allowing cancer patients to die in their pursuit of dealing with Covid-19, we must not allow a new group of zealots to force poor people into further poverty or restrict the freedoms of those who want to or have to travel.”

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