Kicking the 'CAN' Down the Road or a Chance for Cross-Party Action?
Photo credit: Kristian Lam-Clark / Zero Hour
Now that the dust has settled following the second reading of the Climate and Nature (CAN) Bill on the 24th of January, we can finally look forward to the next steps. Those of you who followed the progress of the impassioned debate on the day will know that unfortunately, despite the tireless efforts of Liberal Democrat MP Roz Savage and the Zero Hour team, the bill did not pass through to the next stage of the parliamentary process.
Read more about the Climate and Nature Bill here: https://www.greenlibdems.org.uk/campaigns/the-climate-and-nature-bill
The bill has been adjourned until July 11th, delaying any opportunity for the UK to legally commit to the obligations outlined in the CAN Bill until that time. Further debate will occur then. The bill has been introduced in other formats previously by other parties - and this has the furthest it has ever progressed.
However, this doesn’t mean we should lose all hope for the CAN Bill, nor does it necessarily mean the government is kicking the can down the road.
In her own words:
“Success comes in many forms. In the case of the Climate and Nature Bill, success on this occasion may not have been getting it into law, but we have achieved important victories and brought a powerful coalition together inside and outside Parliament, which I believe will translate into visible and measurable results for our wonderful nature.” Dr Roz Savage MP
The debate was well-attended, with members of all parties present: a testament to the popularity of a crucial act such as this and a sign that cross-party collaboration will be a vital means for furthering climate and nature action. Of course, Labour has the majority in Parliament and made the ultimate decision to quash the Bill. However, after months of negotiations between Roz and ministers, they have committed to measures that will ensure nature restoration and climate action are addressed together—where previously they were handled by separate committees and departmetns—fulfilling one of the Bill’s key objectives. Going forward, Labour wille ensure that DEFRA (Department for Environment and Rural Affairs) and DESNZ (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) will be in much closer collaboration.
Additionally, Secretaries of State will present an annual statement on progress made on climate and nature - while also recognising the role played by our farmers in protecting nature. A move which will ensure transparency from the Government and aid us in holding them responsible for action.
Another one of the key asks of the Bill was to recognise the UK's responsibility for emissions and environmental damage done elsewhere in the world - the UK is the largest net importer of CO2 emissions in the G7 and the UK and the EU are responsible for 25% of global ecological damage.
Cross-Party Collaboration
Pippa Heylings MP, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, who also furiously supported Roz through the progress of this Bill said, “Now is the time to continue working together cross-party, recovering much-needed political consensus and holding the government to account on their promises.” Further reiterating the need for strong cross-party collaboration now.
With threats as serious and imminent as the climate and nature crisis, there is no time to delay solutions so we must welcome Labour’s commitments, even if they are not the result we were hoping for. There was some tension in the chamber, with certain members who were unhappy with any of the outcomes, pursuing confrontation instead of accepting these first victories. Whilst we sympathise with the frustrations, we recognise the efforts Roz has been to just to get to these steps and it was the best outcome we could hope for given Labour’s strong opposition to the Bill in the first place.
“Roz got the unthinkable. The Climate and Nature Bill in action…on the Labour front bench with not just 1 [Secretary] of State but the 2 Ministers for Climate and Nature and the Minister for Housing all together to address the Bill and review their progress so far”.
Holding Labour Accountable
Of course, this is not the end. We have some tough battles ahead when it comes to holding the Government accountable for climate and nature action. This will fall on us as the only party with a significant number of MPs who have a credible stance on climate and nature. Labour so far, are not holding up to any climate promises, with announcements such as the Heathrow Airport third runway expansion, which relies on flawed claims of economic growth and will go ahead despite climate analysts agreeing there is no way for it to be done within current climate proposals and carbon budgets. Labour are continuously failing to deliver quickly on climate action, and instead of transitioning hard and fast to cheap renewables and buying into the booming green economy, are taking risks with £22bn unproven carbon capture technology and refusing to fully stop our reliance on Drax biomass power plant, the UK's single biggest source of CO2 emissions, so we hope that this commitment to climate and nature is more than just another empty promise. However, continued cross-party collaboration, which has only been strengthened since the 24th of January, will allow for Liberal Democrats and other co-sponsors of the Bill to be in the room to place continual pressure to act - this with further pressure from within the Labour party, will yield positive results going forward.
Finally, Roz goes on to thank all those who supported the Zero Hour team and those of you who championed the cause and wrote to your MPs “the scientists, faith leaders, athletes and advocates… the charities and non-governmental organisations that backed the campaign; my 11 amazing MP co-sponsors of the CAN Bill drawn from all the main Parties, who gave precious time and words of wisdom; my Lib Dem colleagues who turned out in force for the debate and backed me to the hilt; and of course my parliamentary and constituency teams who have supported me throughout”.
We are incredibly proud of what Dr Roz Savage has achieved - and we cannot wait to see and support the amazing work she and other Green Liberal Democrat MPs do.
“This was Roz’s [Private Members Bill] and she must feel like she’s just crossed another ocean. The difference this time is: she wasn’t alone” – Pippa Heylings MP
We couldn’t put it better ourselves.
Read Roz's full piece in her own words: https://www.southcotswoldlibdems.org.uk/rozsavage/an-update-on-the-climate-and-nature-bill