The Labour Party has unveiled a “fast track“ plan to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030 while providing hundreds of billions of pounds for the UK economy.
Compiled by independent energy experts, the 30 by 2030 plan includes efficiency upgrades for every UK home, potentially ending fuel poverty for 2.5 million households.
Eight million heat pumps will be installed under the plan, along with 7,000 offshore wind turbines, 2,000 onshore wind turbines, and solar panels covering an area the size of 22,000 football pitches.
Labour said that the investment would lead to a net benefit of £800bn to the economy – equivalent to the GDP of Holland or Turkey – and create 850,000 new skilled jobs.
Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour's shadow business and energy secretary, said: “The recommendations could put the UK on track for a zero-carbon energy system during the 2030's, but only if rapid progress is made early on. The next five years are therefore crucial.
“The Labour Party has among the most ambitious climate targets in the world and is turning their targets into detailed, credible plans to tackle the climate and environmental crisis.“
The party adopted motions calling for net zero emissions by 2030 at its conference last month, and agreed to follow advice from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
A total of 30 recommendations are outlined in Labour's plan, with the party estimating that upgrading housing stock by 2030 could mean 565,000 less cases of asthma due to reduced damp.
Moreover, replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy could result in 6,200 avoided respiratory related deaths a year by 2030 due to improved air quality.
The plan also states that the overall benefits to public health have the potential to save the NHS £400m per year.
“This report makes a major contribution to Labour's plans to kick-start a green industrial revolution,“ Long-Bailey continued.
“We are working with trade unions to ensure that the changes to our energy system will be planned democratically, with the interests of workers and local communities at the heart of the transition.“
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