The Conservative party made up the previous few governments, depending on how they are counted, and so many of their pledges revolve around continuing courses of action already taken. As the official opposition, they have more power to challenge the government publicly to stick to their own promises and argue for actions that go further.
Please note, where anti-climate actions have been promised, the party will still be judged based on their success in advocating or implementing this change.
No new Green Levies
Maintain the UK’s global leadership on Climate change
Achieve Net Zero in the UK by 2050
Invest £1.1bn in the Green Industries Growth Accelerator
Accelerate the rollout of renewables
Ensure annual licensing rounds of oil and gas production in the North Sea and maintain investment allowances in the industry
Treble offshore wind capacity and build new gas power stations to support the growing sector
Build 2 carbon capture and storage clusters, 2 new fleets of modular nuclear reactors, and halve the time taken to approve new reactors
Introduce an incentive scheme for energy firms investing in the most disadvantaged UK areas
Develop a new import carbon pricing mechanism by 2027
Reform standing charges, maintaining the energy price cap, and introduce more efficient local markets for electricity
Implement the Winser Review of network connectivity
Ensure domestic consent for all new onshore wind
Invest £36bn in local roads, rail, and buses to drive regional growth, including £8.3 billion to improve road infrastructure
A ‘Backing Drivers Bill’, reversing the London ULEZ decision and mandating local referendums on 20mph limits and LTNs
Maintain the £2 bus fare cap
Invest £4.7bn in the North and Midlands to spend on transport priorities
Remove the ban on Mayors investing in strategic roads
Use the funding from the cancelled leg of HS2 to fund electrification and further rail infrastructure and stations in the North
Create Great British Railways as a private-public partnership organisation and improve accessibility in 100 rail stations
Electrification of the North Wales main line
Deliver all the schemes set out in the Network North Command Paper
Invest in sustainable aviation fuel through the SAF mandate and support the domestic flight industry
Improve connectivity across Scotland with support for road and rail improvements and ferry services
Protect our best agricultural land from Solar Farms
Ensure any offsetting requirements for new infrastructure and homes are proportionate
Abolish the EU nutrient neutrality rules on housing
Maintain protections on the Green belt from housing developments
Introduce a legally binding target to enhance our food security
50% of public food procurement expenditure is spent on food produced locally or to higher environmental production standards
Ratify the Global Oceans treaty and maintain the moratorium on deep sea mining
Use fines from water companies to invest in river restoration projects
Remove regulations blocking tree planting and introduce forest risk commodities
Designate an 11th national park
Enhanced penalties for fly tipping, a UK-wide deposit return scheme, and a ban on new waste incinerators