UK Labour party’s climate ambitions in tatters as local elections near

Plus, energy demand isn’t growing as fast as thought but where it is, it’s met by solar

In today’s edition:

— A weakened Labour party turns its back on climate ambitions as elections near

— Solar power takes largest share of energy demand for first time

— California’s iconic beaches are becoming starved for sand

— Wildfires are burning later into the night, new study shows

— Warming oceans may be overheating Great White Sharks

An estimated 12,000 people died as the result of five days of deadly smog in London in 1952. Photo: Henry Grant Collection/London Museum.

LONDON (Callaway Climate Insight) — It was only 21 months ago that Britain’s Labour Party, celebrating a return to power after 14 years of disastrous Conservative rule, rang its ambitious climate agenda from bell towers across the United Kingdom.

Despite an energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his team promised the UK would become a clean energy superpower. They would completely decarbonize Britain’s electric grid by 2030. They would set up a Great British Energy Company to partner with renewable startups to move the economy away from oil and gas and London’s old nickname, the Big Smoke, for its pollution. And they would invest again in nuclear technologies.

Less than two years later, those plans are in tatters as the reality of high energy prices — made worse by the Iran war — and a scandal-battered government limp toward an expected pummeling in local elections next month.

Nuclear ambitions are on hold. The government confirmed this week its first national data center will be powered by gas and not renewables, and pressure to begin drilling for oil again in the North Sea is becoming too great to ignore.

Governing is of course much harder than it looks from the opposition benches, as every new ruling party eventually finds out. Some sooner than later.

Starmer’s inevitable reset next month after the May 7 elections will be painful, not just for the environment but for everybody as it will likely have little benefit on prices without investment in new forms of energy.

If you have ideas or suggestions for us, contact me directly at
dcallaway@callawayclimateinsights.com.

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