What does the Labour government mean for the environment?

• Labour will ramp up renewable energy investments
• Energy independence is the long term goal
• Government wants to keep energy bills down for good
• Significant challenges lie ahead if it is going to meet its targets

The Labour Party won a historic victory in the UK general election – credit: Instagram

Labour’s landslide victory in the general election might have changed British politics for the foreseeable future, but what does it mean for the environment and the country’s net-zero strategy?

The environment, particularly in the context of energy bills, was one of the biggest themes of the general election campaign, with all major parties, with the exception of Reform UK, promising to spend massively on clean technologies and renewable power. 

Labour wants to achieve net-zero by 2050 and make the UK a world leader in clean energy by 2030. 

While there are a number of eye-catching promises, Labour has been criticised for not being ambitious enough. Greenpeace has urged Labour to spend more,  particularly on farming and upgrading homes. 

As well as pushing renewables, Labour has also said it will continue with North Sea oil and gas, at least for the time being, and build new nuclear power plants. 

This hints at not so much a total commitment to renewable power, but rather a UK with a diversified source of energy. 

Labour’s policies

During his first speech as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reiterated his pledge to offer “clean British power, cutting your energy bills for good”.

We’ve taken a look at some of the most high profile Labour pledges. 

• Energy independence – this will make the UK less vulnerable to international crises, such as the Russia-Ukraine war. 
• Great British Energy – a new national company, backed by £8.3 billion over five years to create jobs and “build supply chains all over the country”. 
• Renewable energy  – by 2030 Labour plan to massively expand the UK’s renewable capability, including doubling onshore wind, tripling solar and quadrupling offshore wind capacity. 
• Local power – the government will cut pressure on the grid through encouraging local clean power projects, letting communities generate their own power.
• Green finance – Labour is aiming to transform London into the green finance capital of the world by getting the Bank of England to release trillions in capital. 
• Warm Homes Plan – a £6.6 billion plan to help households cut costs through insulation, solar panels and low carbon heating by 2030.

However, Labour’s energy plans are not entirely renewable, and the party will temporarily persist with North Sea oil, support Hinkley Point and build new nuclear power stations that it says are destined to play “an important role” in the UK’s energy transition. 

Challenges and criticisms 

Despite its bold plans some believe they do not go far enough. 

Before the general election, Greenpeace accused Labour of missing crucial details on how it will fund the UK net-zero strategy and cut consumers’ energy bills, saying that Labour’s plans need to be much bolder.

Friends of the Earth added that Labour should pursue a robust strategy to make housing greener, on top of what it has already promised. 

Additionally, the GMB Union has described Labour’s plans as “unviable” and warned that they could result in blackouts and power cuts.  

A challenge will be funding; there is currently no breakdown of where the money for net zero will come from or where it will go.  

Labour wants London to become a green finance centre, which means close collaboration with the private sector. 

If it is to succeed, Labour will have to think hard about putting significant money into energy storage, to offset periods of low solar and wind power generation. 

It will also have to add more detail on training and skills. As it phases out North Sea oil and gas, it will need to consider where the approximately 30,000 people employed in that industry will work, preferably within the energy transition. 

The energy transition means it will have to continue with keep fossil fuels, and it may also have to invest more in nuclear power.

These are the moves that will almost certainly draw criticism from environmental groups, but may be necessary. 

Summary: Will Labour be good for the environment?

• Yes, the new  government should help the environment as it will invest in renewables and make it easier to launch large-scale green projects.
• But the plan is not entirely renewable, with nuclear and fossil fuels included in the short term at least and the phasing out of fossil fuels will have to be monitored.
• Energy independence is critical to any and all plans to achieve net zero.
• Labour will have to reintegrate the workforce from North Sea oil into the renewable sector at some point.