Industry buy-in and public participation will beat ‘climate fragility’ says British MP

“Climate change consensus is fragile” and it is vital to inspire people to join the journey to net zero, according to a member of the UK government’s energy ministry.

And if that inspiration could be delivered, Chris McDonald said that “we can produce tangible improvement to people’s lives and transform our economy”.

McDonald, who is Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department of Energy Security & Net Zero, was speaking to energy professionals at the Montel Energy Day in London today.

He said that the UK is at a pivotal moment for its energy markets and called on the sector to “buy-in” to the direction of the new Labour government, which he argued has created a clear energy vision in its first 140 days in office.

McDonald said that, despite the energy price shock, the strain on the grid and the previous lack of long-term strategy, the UK has managed to develop an electricity system with over 40% renewable generation.

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Cut energy prices

However, he added that the challenge was to reduce energy prices for consumers and for an industrial sector that has been hampered high energy prices and lack of investment.

The new UK government has established a clean energy goal by 2030 and endorsed the 2050 net zero target. “Labour wants the UK to be a clean energy superpower,” said McDonald.

He paid tribute to Lord Prescott, whose death was announced on the day of the conference, as a driver for addressing climate change and someone who “laid the groundwork for where we are today”.

However, he lamented that the UK has slipped from a leading position to that of a follower on the world stage and said that the government was determined to reverse that.

The MP reminded his audience of the steps already taken by the incoming government, including reversing policy around onshore wind development, investments in CCUS and the establishment of Great British Energy, under the leadership of former-Siemens UK boss, Juergen Maier.

He said that the UK can benefit from the benefits the supply chain for these new investments will create and the new job opportunities.