The Liberal Democrats are now the third largest party in parliament and will accordingly be assigned much more focus, time, and resources to raise their issues in parliament. In opposition, they will have less routes to actually put these pledges into law, but they will have powers to press the government to incorporate their ideas into the government’s own legislation, questioning ministers and pushing amendments to make the government go further in their promises.
Coordinating action across the UK by creating a Joint Climate Council of the Nations
Aiming for the complete elimination of non-recyclable single-use plastics within three years
Introducing a deposit return scheme for food and drink bottles and container
Appoint a Chief Secretary for Sustainability in the Treasury
Establish national and local citizens’ assemblies on climate action
Return international development spending to 0.7% of national income, with tackling climate change a key priority
Investing in education and training to equip people with the skills needed for the low-carbon economy of the future
Ensure a just transition that values the skills and experience in the oil and gas industry and provides good opportunities for workers
Set out a clear and stable roadmap to net zero
Expand the market for climate-friendly products and services with steadily higher criteria in public procurement
Implement the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism for high-emission products
Reduce emissions from industrial processes by supporting carbon capture and storage
Support the development of regional industrial clusters for zero-carbon innovation
Increase the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund
Requiring all large companies listed on UK stock exchanges to set targets consistent with achieving the net zero goal
Regulating financial services to encourage climate-friendly investments
Ten-year emergency home upgrade programme, starting with free insulation and heat pumps for those on low incomes.
Expanding incentives for households to install solar panels, including a guaranteed fair price for electricity sold back into the grid.
Requiring all new homes and non-domestic buildings to be built to a zero-carbon standard
Requiring landlords to upgrade the energy efficiency of their properties to EPC C or above by 2028
Invest in renewable power so that 90% of the UK’s electricity is generated from renewables by 2030
Social tariff for the most vulnerable to provide targeted energy discounts for vulnerable households
Implement a proper, one-off windfall tax on the super-profits of oil and gas producers and traders
Removing the Conservatives’ unnecessary restrictions on new solar and wind power
Decoupling electricity prices from the wholesale gas price
Building the grid infrastructure required, facilitated by a strategic Land and Sea Use Framework
Building more electricity interconnectors between the UK and other countries to guarantee security of supply
Empowering local authorities to develop local renewable electricity generation and storage strategies
Give small low-carbon generators the right to export their electricity to an existing electricity supplier on fair terms
Reduce access costs for grid connections
Reform the energy network to permit local energy grids
Rapidly roll out more EV charging points
Reintroduce the plug-in car grant
Freeze rail fares and simplify ticketing on public transport
Significantly extend the electrification of Britain’s rail network
Improve train stations, particularly disabled access
Reopen smaller Train Stations
Deliver Northern Powerhouse rail
Boost bus services by giving local authorities more powers to franchise services and simplifying funding
Creating new cycling and walking networks with a new nationwide active travel strategy
Give more of the roads budget to local councils to maintain existing roads, pavements and cycleways
Invest in research and development to make the UK the world leader in zero-carbon flight
Take steps to reduce demand for flying
Requiring the National Infrastructure Commission to take fully into account the environmental implications of all national infrastructure decisions
Establish a new Railway Agency: a public body which would help to join up the industry
Integrate bus, rail and light rail ticketing systems so that a daily fare cap can be introduced for those taking several trips a day
Devolve greater decision-making powers and resources to local authorities in England to design public transport infrastructure around community needs
Transform water companies into public benefit companies
Ban bonuses for water bosses until discharges and leaks end
Replace Ofwat with a tough new regulator with new powers to prevent sewage dumps
Introduce a Sewage Tax on water company profits
Give local environmental groups a place on water companies’ boards
Introduce a single social tariff for water bills to help eliminate water poverty
Mandate all water companies to publish accessible real-time data on any sewage they dump
Strengthen the Office for Environmental Protection and provide more funding to the Environment Agency and Natural England
Introduce a holistic and comprehensive National Food Strategy
Accelerate the rollout of the new Environmental Land Management schemes
Maintain high health, environmental and animal welfare standards in food production and guarantee that all future trade deals will meet them too
Give Britain’s farmers the ability to trade with our European neighbours with minimal need for checks
Support farmers properly in restoring woodland, peatland and waterways, creating new natural flood protections and managing land to encourage species recovery and carbon storage
Introduce a general duty of care for the environment
Pass a Clean Air Act
Set meaningful and binding targets to stop the decline of our natural environment
Double the size of the Protected Area Network, double the area of most important wildlife habitats, double the abundance of species and double woodland cover by 2050
Plant at least 60 million trees a year
Pass a new Environmental Rights Act, recognising everyone’s human right to a healthy environment .
Protecting at least 30% of land and sea areas by 2030 for nature’s recovery
Create a real network of marine protected areas
Introduce a new Blue Carbon and Soils Carbon Standards that are properly enforced and accredited