Labour could drop the ambitious 2030 climate crisis target it adopted under Jeremy Corbyn, the party's new leadership has said.
A spokesperson for Keir Starmer said that he had supported the plans included in Labour's last manifesto, but that the party had lost the election.

The Green New Deal policy adopted under the previous leadership included the aim of a path to net zero carbon by the year 2030, based largely on massive public investment in green technology.

 
The suggestion that the commitment could be dropped has prompted an outcry from MPs on the left of the party and concern among activists.
24 MPs from the left of the party, including Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell, and Diane Abbott, have written a letter endorsing the proposal, arguing that it amounts to "necessary and urgent action".
They call on the party to remain committed to the 2030 target, a ban on fracking, public ownership of the energy sector, and other measures like welcoming climate refugees and green public transport.
They call on the party to remain committed to the 2030 target, a ban on fracking, public ownership of the energy sector, and other measures like welcoming climate refugees and green public transport.
Keir Starmer's spokesperson said: “The last manifesto made a number of really important commitments on this, which Keir supported, but we lost the election and Labour lost five years in government to tackle climate change.
“The next manifesto, the next target, will be written in four or five years’ time and we’ll have to deal with the circumstances we are in then.”
Angus Satow, co-founder of Labour for a Green New Deal, which campaigned for the policy, said: “We strongly oppose the suggestion that Labour should abandon its vital, popular and groundbreaking climate programme because of our election defeat.
“With the Arctic on fire and unemployment soaring, the Green New Deal has never been more urgent. It’s not enough for Keir Starmer to delay this question until 2024 – he must fight for our programme, and our planet, now.” 

The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says that the world must reach net zero carbon by 2050 if global warming is to be kept below 1.5C, an irreversible threshold over which climate disaster quickly intensifies.
But richer countries are expected to reach net zero faster to give more room for developing countries to grow. Finland has said it will go carbon neutral by 2035, and Sweden 2045.
The UK's current target is 2050, in line with the IPCC's deadline. It was enshrined into law by Theresa May and superceded a previous target introduced under Gordon Brown in 2008 of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.



Q
Asked by Caroline Lucas
(Brighton, Pavilion)
Asked on: 23 June 2020
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Economic Growth: Environment Protection
Commons
63295
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans the Government has to amend regulations and environmental protections in order to stimulate economic activity; what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on those plans; and if he will make a statement.
A
Answered by: Rebecca Pow
Answered on: 30 June 2020
The Government has no current plans to amend regulations and environmental protections in order to stimulate economic activity.

However, as we rebuild our economy in response to the coronavirus pandemic, we are working to deliver a fairer, greener and more resilient future. We will ramp up our world-leading work on our ambitious legislative agenda through our landmark Environment and Agricultural Bills. These bills will work hand in hand to protect and recover our precious natural environment and diverse ecosystems in line with our 25 Year Environment Plan to leave the environment in a better place than we have inherited it.

The net zero challenge remains and we need to transform our economy over the next three decades to end our contribution to climate change. In the UK we’ve already shown how to grow the economy while cutting emissions and we will continue to lead the world as we respond to the economic impacts of COVID-19 and develop our net zero strategy in advance of COP26.

Q
Asked by Caroline Lucas
(Brighton, Pavilion)
Asked on: 23 June 2020
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Economic Growth: Environment Protection
Commons
63296
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that changes to regulations and environmental protections designed to stimulate economic activity do not undermine environmental targets set out in (a) the 25-Year Environment Plan, (b) the Environment Bill, (c) the Agriculture Bill and (d) net zero legislation.
A
Answered by: Rebecca Pow
Answered on: 29 June 2020
The Government has no current plans to amend regulations and environmental protections in order to stimulate economic activity.

However, as we rebuild our economy in response to the coronavirus pandemic, we are working to deliver a fairer, greener and more resilient future. We will ramp up our world-leading work on our ambitious legislative agenda through our landmark Environment and Agricultural Bills. These bills will work hand in hand to protect and recover our precious natural environment and diverse ecosystems in line with our 25 Year Environment Plan to leave the environment in a better place than we have inherited it.

The 25 Year Environment Plan will be adopted as the first statutory Environmental Improvement Plan under the Bill. The Environment Bill also creates a power to set long-term, legally-binding environmental targets. It requires Government to set, and achieve, at least one long-term target in four priority areas: air quality, biodiversity, water, and resource efficiency and waste reduction. We want them to be ambitious, credible, and supported by society. As a first step we expect to publish a Target Policy Paper over the coming months which will include further details about the target-setting process that we will be implementing.

The net zero challenge remains and we need to transform our economy over the next three decades to end our contribution to climate change. In the UK we’ve already shown how to grow the economy while cutting emissions and we will continue to lead the world as we respond to the economic impacts of COVID-19 and develop our net zero strategy in advance of COP26.
Grouped Questions: 63557
Q
Asked by Caroline Lucas
(Brighton, Pavilion)
Asked on: 23 June 2020
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Economic Growth: Environment Protection and Planning Permission
Commons
63297
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to amend planning regulations and environment protections to stimulate economic activity; and steps he will take to ensure that those changes do not undermine environmental aims set out in (a) the 25-Year Environment Plan, (b) the Environment Bill, (c) the Agriculture Bill and (d) net zero legislation.
A
Answered by: Christopher Pincher
Answered on: 29 June 2020
Q
Asked by Caroline Lucas
(Brighton, Pavilion)
Asked on: 23 June 2020
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Economic Growth: Environment Protection and Planning Permission
Commons
63298
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on amending planning regulations and environmental protections to stimulate economic activity.
A
Answered by: Christopher Pincher
Answered on: 29 June 2020
Q
Asked by Caroline Lucas
(Brighton, Pavilion)
Asked on: 29 June 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
NHS: Students
Commons
66015
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that every (a) nursing, (b) midwifery and (c) healthcare student who signed up to undertake a paid placement in the NHS to help with the covid-19 outbreak response has their initial paid placement length agreement honoured.





  
 

 
 
 
They call on the party to remain committed to the 2030 target, a ban on fracking, public ownership of the energy sector, and other measures like welcoming climate refugees and green public transport.
Keir Starmer's spokesperson said: “The last manifesto made a number of really important commitments on this, which Keir supported, but we lost the election and Labour lost five years in government to tackle climate change.
“The next manifesto, the next target, will be written in four or five years’ time and we’ll have to deal with the circumstances we are in then.”
Angus Satow, co-founder of Labour for a Green New Deal, which campaigned for the policy, said: “We strongly oppose the suggestion that Labour should abandon its vital, popular and groundbreaking climate programme because of our election defeat.
“With the Arctic on fire and unemployment soaring, the Green New Deal has never been more urgent. It’s not enough for Keir Starmer to delay this question until 2024 – he must fight for our programme, and our planet, now.”


The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says that the world must reach net zero carbon by 2050 if global warming is to be kept below 1.5C, an irreversible threshold over which climate disaster quickly intensifies.


Shape Created with Sketch. Youth Strike for Climate: London protest in photos

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But richer countries are expected to reach net zero faster to give more room for developing countries to grow. Finland has said it will go carbon neutral by 2035, and Sweden 2045.
The UK's current target is 2050, in line with the IPCC's deadline. It was enshrined into law by Theresa May and superceded a previous target introduced under Gordon Brown in 2008 of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.
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