Farage’s net zero policy would be a disaster

He’s right to say Britain is only responsible for 1% of global carbon emissions. But he’s wrong to say it doesn’t matter, therefore, if we don’t pursue net zero policies. Not for moral reasons, or issues of leadership – or any of the standard reasons he invites us to respond with. But because net zero policies are good for us, right here and right now. Britain’s net zero policies are at the heart of the economic opportunity of the century – the green economy.

This green economy, our green economy – grew ten times faster than the old one last year, and the year before – adding £80billion to our GDP annually. The green economy creates more, and better paid, jobs than the old economy (the CBI says so). We already have twice as many jobs in green energy as we have in fossil fuel energy. And these are forever jobs. Because green energy is a forever fuel – it won’t run out on us like our North Sea has.

Farage also talks about deindustrialisation, he’s right to. But he’s wrong in who he blames. It isn’t a process that began under Keir Starmer nine months ago, or under net zero policies ten years ago – but under Farage’s political hero, Margaret Thatcher, four decades ago. With the serial disaster of privatisation and the sink or swim attitude of ‘(global) markets know best.’ Net zero policies are re-industrialising Britain – creating an abundance of new industrial opportunities, jobs and properly sustainable economic growth.

Farage is right about the problems but wrong about the causes. And characteristically, he mischaracterises his chosen targets.

Net zero and green energy are not about carbon, not about saving ice caps and polar bears, not about our responsibility to future generations – they’re about jobs and economic growth and better living standards for all. These are the right here, right now reasons to pursue net zero. Sod the future, the UN and all that other malarkey Farage would rail against – net zero is good for us. Walking away from net zero would be the biggest act of national self harm since, erm – well, Brexit.

And when you look at what’s happening here; the false claims, the demonising, the mis and dis information – this is Brexit revisited. This is Nexit. Farage is a one trick pony attempting a sequel. Britain’s exit from net zero.

It is no surprise Kemi Badenock has thrown herself and her party, lemming like, onto this bandwagon, but why Tony Blair would do so is a different thing. In arguing for less green energy and more carbon capture he makes himself look ridiculous and like a lobbyist for fossil fuels. He also invites memories of the Iraq war he involved us in, based on dodgy evidence – carbon capture and storage as a solution is as mythical as the 45-minute threat to Britain – of Saddam Hussein, The whole anti net zero, anti green energy argument is indeed a Weapon of Mass Delusion

One thing for sure is that the economic harm of Brexit would be like a paper cut compared to that of Nexit, turning our backs on the green economy, on the opportunity of the 21st century – would impoverish us as a nation and condemn us to economic decline and ever lower living standards.

This week’s local elections have shown us the warning signs. Farage is gaining ground by offering wrong answers to real problems – pinning the blame on the very policies we need and which are working. We’ve seen this movie before. We have to stop him. To do that we have to argue on our terms, not his. 

It’s not about net zero, carbon targets, global responsibility – none of that stuff. It’s about Britain first. About embracing this new Industrial Revolution and all the benefits it brings. It’s the green economy stupid. As Bill Clinton nearly said.

Dale Vince OBE is a green industrialist and is the founder of Ecotricity