A dark day for the climate as government cranks up thermostat with 11th hour decisions

Press release
It’s a dark day for the climate says Friends of the Earth as the government sneaks out unpopular decisions on the last day of parliament today (24 July).
  Published:  24 Jul 2018    |      1 minute read

The decision to give fracking the go-ahead, allow the continuation of coal, and making it harder for wind power to succeed are the three climate-related decisions to come out of government in the last minutes of this parliament. These have all been part of new planning rules and permissions announced today.

Liz Hutchins, Friends of the Earth director of campaigns, said:

“Here we are sweltering in the middle of a heatwave and the government’s actions are cranking up the thermostat on our already alarmingly warming climate.

“A go-ahead for fracking, leaving the door open on dirty coal and scuppering renewables – this has been the government’s parting gift as they take off on holiday.

“Sneaking these unpopular decisions out at the eleventh hour shows a brazen disregard for people everywhere suffering from climate chaos.

“Today of all days, as Europe burns, and the UK is a tinder box, this is reckless behaviour towards our environment and the planet’s future.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

  1. Hydraulic Fracturing Consent was granted at Cuadrilla’s site at Preston New Road in Lancashire today.
  2. The National Planning Policy Framework.