The Conservative Environment Network (CEN) invited both Conservative Party leadership candidates to provide more information about how they intend to deliver their environmental commitments and what their environmental message for swing voters will be at the next general election.
We're delighted to publish Liz Truss’s message to CEN’s network of over 150 parliamentarians, 400 councillors, and 500 grassroots supporters.
Our party has a proud history of leadership on the environment, from the Clean Air Act of 1956 to the Montreal Protocol agreed in 1987 to the COP26 climate change conference held last year in Glasgow. I am determined to build on that track record as leader and Prime Minister by doubling down in our drive to hit net zero emissions by 2050 in a Conservative way which helps households and businesses.
I have made clear my commitment to doing so in signing the Conservative Environment Pledge. I also recommitted to our 2030 goal for halting nature decline, pledged to continue reforming farm payments, help people insulate their homes, champion renewables and new clean technologies.
I was an environmentalist before it was fashionable, joining my parents on marches about saving our planet from CFCs and harm to the ozone layer.
In these tough economic times, I will put the interests of people and businesses at the heart of our Net Zero agenda and harness the full power of free enterprise as a clean, green jobs-creating machine.
We can only succeed by taking bold action to get our economy and our country back on track. That is why I will act swiftly to tackle the cost of living. Suspending green energy levies, in line with the Conservative Environment Network’s recommendation, will save families an average of £153 a year.
During this time, we would conduct a review of our policies to ensure we are meeting our climate commitments in the most economically efficient way, which does not pile unnecessary costs onto consumers.
I want our farmers to spend more time growing their fantastic food rather than filling in forms. We will remove EU regulations to supercharge productivity and enhance food security, as well as ensuring farmers have access to the workers they need in the short and long term, and delivering new plans to create the agriculture industry of the future by backing technological advances.
We will continue to protect Britain’s biosecurity, biodiversity and natural environment and stand up for our farmers now we are outside the European Unions damaging Common Agricultural Policy.
I will commission a nationwide nature survey to strengthen our efforts to preserve our environment. This would build an evidence base in a better way than the EU-derived Habitats Directive to help us understand UK-specific habitat and species issues, like what species are endangered and what we can improve.
People can trust me to deliver because of my track record working across six departments. As Environment Secretary, I stood up for farmers, taking on the EU over the outdated three-crop rule. I stepped up to pledge to plant a million more trees in our towns and cities. I also created the largest area of English National Park land, safeguarding the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District for generations to come.
I worked tenaciously as Trade Secretary to open up new markets for British farmers to export overseas while maintaining our high standards at home.
I know there are enormous opportunities ahead for our country in our drive towards Net Zero. We are leading the way in the industries of the future, making everything from hydrogen-powered buses to the world’s largest offshore wind farm. These low-carbon industries are growing and I want to see them go from strength to strength, investing in local communities, creating jobs and driving our levelling up agenda.
Just as we led the industrial revolution, I know we have what it takes to lead the green industrial revolution. Under my leadership, we can benefit consumers and businesses by delivering on Net Zero in a Conservative way. In doing so, we will ensure our best days lie ahead.
Views expressed in this blog are those of the author, not necessarily those of the Conservative Environment Network. If you are a CEN supporter, councillor, or parliamentarian and would like to write for the CEN blog, please email your idea to cameron@cen.uk.com.