Reform UK council scraps county’s net-zero target – ‘completely unachievable’ | Politics | News
Reform UK local authority abandons target to be carbon neutral by 2050. Councilor Sean Matthews, leader of Lincolnshire County Council, criticized “unreasonable” net zero targets, saying the target was “completely unachievable”.
Reform UK, which continues to rank high in national opinion polls, is skeptical about net zero; leader Nigel Farage described it last year as “net stupid zero”. Financial concerns were raised about how to meet the 2050 target at a meeting of Lincolnshire County Council on Tuesday, which was reportedly disrupted twice by environmental protesters. The group, made up mostly of Extinction Rebellion members, claimed the council did not care about climate change and said time was running out to stop the disaster.
The reform administration has said it will continue to cut carbon emissions but will only spend government money to avoid the expense for Lincolnshire taxpayers. LincolnshireLive reports.
Speaking outside the meeting, Extinction Rebellion member Eddie Francis said: Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Reducing it to net zero by 2050 is completely irresponsible.
“You only have to look at the news to know that extreme weather events are a major concern for Lincolnshire.”
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Christine Brookman said: “I’m worried about the future of my children and grandchildren. The reform seems to ignore the fact that there is a climate emergency.”
The meeting was adjourned twice after screams from the public gallery; “So narrow-minded,” one of them shouted.
The change is part of the new Green Master Plan adopted by the council.
Councilor Danny Brookes, executive for the environment, said: “These are unattainable targets the government has set for us, but they haven’t paid anyone to do it. They expected taxpayers to fund it all.”
Cllr Matthews said: “I care deeply about the environment, we just have different views on how it can be achieved. 50 years means nothing for the planet; it has for billions of years.
“Net zero targets are completely unattainable and unreasonable. We think it is better to make the planet a better place slowly, rather than rushing.
“My priority is looking after the people of Lincolnshire, which means money and a better environment for them to live in. This means no solar farms destroying our wonderful crops.
“This is the kind of environment I’m trying to protect, not a gas where we’re not making any difference.”
Council officials said the agency would continue to protect and improve the environment and adapt to a changing climate.
The council’s carbon emissions have almost halved since the introduction of the net zero target in 2016.
