In the King’s Speech today the Government confirmed plans for new legislation to deliver annual oil and gas licensing rounds, but other Net Zero-dilution bills were missing, including laws to restrain local authorities from introducing anti-car schemes like Ulez. Business Green has more.
The Government today used its final King’s Speech before the next election to confirm plans for new legislation to deliver annual oil and gas licensing rounds and accelerate grid connections for clean energy projects.
As had been widely trailed, the speech set out plans for a new Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill that would mandate the North Sea Transition Authority to undertake new oil and licensing rounds on an annual basis.
But at the same time it also reiterated Number 10’s commitment to meeting the U.K.’s Net Zero targets and boosting investment in renewables projects.
In his first opening of Parliament as monarch, King Charles said: “Legislation will be introduced to strengthen the United Kingdom’s energy security and reduce reliance on volatile international energy markets and hostile regimes.
“This bill will support future licensing of new oil and gas fields helping the country to transition to net zero by 2050 without adding undue burdens on households.
“Alongside this my ministers will seek to attract record levels of investment in renewable energy sources and reform grid connection, building on the U.K.’s track record of decarbonising faster than other G7 economies.”
The speech also promised new legislation to support the roll out of emerging technologies such as driverless cars and machine learning, highlighted the government’s plans for new rail connections in northern England, and underscored Ministers’ commitment to delivering new trade deals with emerging economies.
King Charles, who is expected to attend this year’s COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai next month, said the Government “will continue to lead action on tackling climate change and biodiversity loss, support developing countries with their energy transition and hold other countries to their environmental commitments”.
However, previously mooted proposals for new legislation to scrap nutrient neutrality rules for housing developers and limit local authorities’ ability to introduce 20mph speed limits and ultra-low emission zones were absent from the speech.
Worth reading in full.
The Government talks the talk when topics like Ulez expansion are in the news, but the reality is it’s still captive to green groupthink and largely fails to follow through with the concrete measures needed to stop the headlong green rush to mass impoverishment.
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