There are issues which the UK is continuing to take the lead on. One of these is in tackling the threat of climate change.
In recent days, the Government laid draft legislation to set a new net zero greenhouse gas emissions target for Britain, to be delivered by 2050. This world-leading target will bring to an end this country’s contribution to climate change.
Following the announcement I questioned the Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy Secretary in the House of Commons on the support available to Crawley’s aviation industry to enhance our position as an island trading nation while leading the world on environmental protection.
Last year Crawley-headquartered Virgin Atlantic had its first biofuel flight, and Gatwick-based easyJet is now flying the new A320neo with its reduced carbon output.
Britain has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by a quarter since 2010. Last year was the cleanest and greenest year ever for electricity, with renewable electricity generation at a record high. The UK is reducing emissions faster than any other G20 country, while growing our economy to ensure we leave our natural environment in a better condition than we found it.
Leadership on the global stage has included continuing momentum of the Paris Agreement by offering to host the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) in 2020, and continuing to advance the work of the International Climate Fund to help the world's poorest adapt to climate change and promote cleaner, greener economic growth.
The UK remains at the forefront of green technology; creating more, better paid jobs, with almost 400,000 people working in low carbon businesses and their supply chains across the country.
Since 1990, the UK has cut emissions by 42 per cent while growing the economy by over 72 per cent. Indeed, the last time the UK’s emissions were this low was in 1888; the year the Football League was formed and eight years before the first modern Olympic Games took place.
The UK is a world leader on environmental issues but I continue to call for the Government to do more.
Henry Smith MP