Boris Johnson has angered green campaigners after a £5bn infrastructure spending boost lacked new measures to achieve his legal duty of [ net zero carbon emissions.
Vowing to “build back better” as the UK emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, the prime minister will announce cash for hospital maintenance, court upgrades, high street rescues and – controversially – road upgrades.
But he had been urged to seize the moment to ensure the UK is not “locked further into the climate crisis” – with the commitment of net zero emissions by 2050 in deep trouble.
Instead, the only fresh environmental measure is a hint of a future £40m to boost local conservation projects that would recruit new “conservation rangers”.
“The prime minister won’t build back greener by investing in roads, which will only lock us further into the climate crisis,” said Friends of the Earth ’s Muna Suleiman…
The green gap in the plans comes despite the independent Committee on Climate Change calling for gas boilers to be phased out and new infrastructure to make cycling and walking easier.