Comment on CCC advice on building resilient recovery to COVID-19

Commenting on advice sent by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) to ministers on building a resilient recovery from the COVID-19 crisisRichard Black, Director of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) said:

“This is a timely intervention from the Committee and comes as a diverse range of other organisations and individuals are also pointing out the rationale for post-Covid stimulus packages being consistent with climate targets – most notably, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in his comments to the Petersberg Climate Dialogue last week.

“Things have changed markedly since the last global economic downturn a decade ago – renewables are now cheaper than the alternatives, both they and energy efficiency have been shown to be major job-creators, and many companies from airlines to oil are acknowledging that a simple return to the pre-Covid situation isn’t tenable.

“The principles that the Committee is outlining are therefore likely to resonate with a British public that opinion surveys show still wants to get carbon emissions tackled, even in the middle of the Covid crisis: prioritise measures that simultaneously deliver jobs, economic recovery and climate benefits, make pollution bear its true cost, and don’t throw public money at sectors and businesses that are dwindling anyway.”