Thank you to all who have contacted me about the climate and nature crisis.

I appreciate the concerns you raise and agree that we need greater ambition from the Government on UK climate and nature policy. On the climate emergency, for example, last year the Climate Change Committee set out that the Government was failing in its implementation of climate policies and that its strategy would not deliver net zero emissions. Yet after the Government published revised plans this year, the CCC was even less confident in the ability of the UK to meet its climate goals from 2030 onwards. Indeed, the Government continues to maintain a ban on onshore wind that means energy bills are £180 higher for every family in the country, and to pursue energy plans that will leave us dependent on fossil fuels for as long as possible.

I believe continuing with this approach means continuing with higher energy bills, energy insecurity, lost jobs and climate delay. I therefore believe we need urgent action that will tackle the climate and cost-of-living crises hand-in-hand, as well as to protect and restore nature at scale across the country.

I support calls for a green prosperity plan to ramp up investment over time to reach £28 billion per year in tackling climate change, growing the green economy and creating good, green secure local jobs across the country. This would include delivering a cheaper, zero-carbon electricity system by 2030, including by establishing GB Energy – a new publicly-owned clean generation company – and quadrupling offshore wind, more than tripling solar power and more than doubling onshore wind capacity. It also includes plans to insulate 19 million homes and establishing a national wealth fund to invest in green industries like hydrogen, gigafactories, green steel and renewable energy manufacturing. These plans will cut bills, create good jobs, strengthen our energy security and tackle the climate crisis.

In addition, I believe we should have a net zero and nature test on all Government spending, act to tackle and reverse nature’s decline in all parts of our country and mandate UK-regulated financial institutions and major companies to develop and implement credible transition plans that align with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement.

Thank you once again to all who have contacted me. I can assure you that I will continue to press for the action we need on these issues.