Motion #03
Climate Emergency PWG: Phil Horton*, John McClintock, Tony Cooke, Pamela Harling, Tony Firkins, Finance & Economy PWG
The 2024 Manifesto was developed over many months, with its completion rushed due to the timing of the General Election. The Climate Emergency Policy Working Group is proposing this Motion to realign the Manifesto with existing Policy, the latter having been carefully developed and approved by members at Conference.
The following changes are proposed to the Green Party General Election Manifesto 2024, Long Version with Cover (GEM2024):
1. The Manifesto introduction states that a 1.5C temperature increase will “make human life on earth unliveable.” This is an exaggeration.
In GEM2024 Introduction, delete “an increase that would make human life unliveable” and replace with “a level that substantially increases the risks for the climate and for humanity” so that the sentence reads:
“Since the last election, there have been an increasing number of days and months in which global temperature increases have breached 1.5oC, a level that substantially increases the risks for the climate and for humanity.”
2. GEM2024 page 7, final paragraph, includes a statement “to require house builders to include solar panels”. To align with Policies for a Sustainable Society, and to be realistic, insert “where possible and appropriate” after “solar panels” so that the phrase reads:
“to require house builders to include solar panels where possible and appropriate”
3. The Manifesto is not clear how many homes will be built over the Parliament stating 150k per year “as soon as possible”.
GEM2024 page 7, first bullet point, after “Provide 150,000 new social homes a year” insert “ by year 5” so that it reads:
“Provide 150,000 new social homes a year by year 5 and end the so-called ‘right to buy’, so that these homes can belong to communities for ever.”
GEM2024 page 8, section “Social Housing”, first paragraph. Delete “as soon as possible” and replace with “by year 5 of the parliament. This will add around 300,000 net additional social rent homes to the stock over 5 years” so that the first sentence reads:
“Our priority would be to increase Council and Housing Association provision of homes offered at low ‘social rents’ to 150,000 new homes a year, by year 5 of the parliament. This will add around 300,000 net additional social rent homes to the stock over 5 years.”
4. Energy efficiency standards should not be watered down in the Manifesto as they are key to achieving our agreed zero carbon target in 10 years.
GEM2024 page 8, first full sentence, states “We will upgrade the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard to EPC C”. Delete “EPC C” and replace with “EPC B” so that it reads:
“We will upgrade the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard to EPC C by 2026 and EPC B by 2030.”
5. Achieving zero carbon in 10 years was a recent change to Policies for a Sustainable Society, and is the minimum requirement based on the latest science.
GEM2024 page 10, Section “Accelerating clean energy investment and delivery”, first paragraph. Replace “as soon as possible, and more than a decade ahead of 2050” with “through continual development of climate policy with a target of achieving this within 10 years” so that it reads:
“We would push the government to transition to a zero-carbon society through continual development of climate policy with a target of achieving this within 10 years.”
6. The Energy Policy Model estimate for state investment in transmission and distribution, as provided to the Manifesto working group, was cut by £20bn. This underestimates the investment required to deliver on the Manifesto’s commitments.
Page 13, section “Creating a Fairer, Greener Economy”, second column bullet point 1. Delete “£40bn” and replace with “£45bn” so that it reads:
“An average of £45bn per year over the course of the next parliament, including £7bn annually on climate adaptation.”
GEM2024 page 13, section “A Green Economic Transformation”, last paragraph on page. Delete “£40bn” and replace with “£45bn” so that it reads:
“We estimate that this green investment will require an average investment of £45bn per year over the course of the parliament to be spent as follows:”
GEM2024 page 14, financial table, first row “Electricity generation, transmission and storage”. Delete “£50bn” and replace with “£70bn” so that it reads:
| “Electricity generation, transmission and storage” | “£70bn” |
Adjust table on GEM2024 page 45 to match figures above. Our proposed annual adjustments are to increase the sums on the “Green economic transformation” line:
2026: £1bn, 2027: £2.3bn, 2028: £4.8bn, 2029: £5.4bn, 2030: £6.5bn.
The overall deficit and other lines to be adjusted as required using the Manifesto costing model.
7. The Manifesto includes statements on aid funding which are in direct contradiction to PfSS policy IP254. This should be addressed by changing elements of both the manifesto and of PfSS to realign the targets and to ensure a realistic timeframe.
GEM2024 page 43, section “Climate Diplomacy and Overseas Aid”, which begins on p.42. On p.43, after “Elected Greens would push the UK to:” delete “Go beyond restoring international aid to 0.7% of GNI, raising this” and replace with “Immediately restore international aid to 0.7% of GNI, then raise” so that it reads:
· “Immediately restore international aid to 0.7% of GNI, then raise to 1% by 2033”
PfSS IP254 (ii) delete “by 2030” and replace with “within a decade” so that it reads:
“The combined commitment will increase to 2.5 (two point five) percent of Gross National Income (GNI) within a decade (comprising of 1% for what was originally ODA and an additional 1.5% for concessional Climate Finance, including for loss and damage).”
8. The Manifesto confuses decarbonising the electricity system with decarbonising all energy, which is a far bigger challenge and not achievable by 2030.
GEM2024 page 10, section “Accelerating clean energy investment and delivery”, paragraph 2 second sentence, change “Instead with investment in interconnectors and grid level storage, it’s possible to decarbonise the energy system before 2030.” To “Instead, we will invest in interconnectors and grid level storage to help rapidly decarbonise the electricity system.” so that the paragraph reads:
“By diverting investment away from renewables, nuclear power is a distraction and a waste of time and money. Instead, we will invest in interconnectors and grid level storage to help rapidly decarbonise the electricity system.”
9. Correction to basis of figures being carbon dioxide equivalent, not carbon.
SOC Note: this section of the motion, if passed, would mean that section 3 of motion C04 would fall away, since it asks for the same thing.
GEM2024 page 21, section “Carbon Tax”, second paragraph, after “£120 per tonne” add “of carbon dioxide equivalent” and after “£500 per tonne” delete “of carbon” so that it reads:
“£120 per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), rising to a maximum of £500 per tonne emitted within ten years”
These changes will aid our four new MPs in speaking to our Manifesto and our approved policy base with confidence, and without fear of being challenged about any contradictions between the Manifesto and our published policy.
Note that this Motion assumes that the Manifesto has been approved as Policy, either by default or through ratification at Conference. Page references, unless otherwise stated, are to the Green Party General Election Manifesto 2024, Long Version with Cover. Some changes, either to the Manifesto or to Policies for a Sustainable Society (PfSS) are required as the Manifesto directly contradicts existing policy statements. Others are required to ensure that the Manifesto realistically meets the requirements of PfSS. The latter points are based on the comprehensive Energy Policy Model (EPM) developed by a sub-group of the Climate Emergency Policy Working Group (CEPWG), https://spaces.greenparty.org.uk/s/energy-policy-working-group/.
Last updated on 2024-09-08 at 15:20