- He said current plans to go 'green’ would impose 'unacceptable costs’ on development
Britain risks damaging its economy and falling behind global rivals due to 'bad’ net-zero targets, Lord Frost warned last night.
The former Brexit minister said current plans for 'greening’ would impose 'unacceptable costs’ on growth and families.
He said the UK faces not only the risk of the lights going out and the risk of energy supply being 'left behind’ when it comes to competing with emerging economies such as China.
Instead, he suggested ministers should delay efforts to achieve their 'green’ targets.
Targets to help Britain reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 include banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. From next year, automakers will also be forced to guarantee at least 22 percent of their new car sales. 10 percent of new vans are clean electric. Failure to do so will result in a fine.
Ministers want 600,000 green-friendly heat pumps installed in homes a year to replace gas boilers by 2028. In March, Tory MPs urged ministers to 'come clean’ about the cost of their green strategy after failing to announce new ambitions. Spell out the prices for houses.
The plans include fining households that don’t switch from gas to electricity and making the former more expensive. Speaking at the Global Warming Policy Trust’s annual lecture last night, Lord Frost said: 'If we don’t oppose this bad approach now, an approach that ends with lifestyle restrictions and rationing, we risk seriously damaging levels of economic irrationality in the next phase. decade.
’That effect would be overshadowed by power supply shortages, but could push the West back in the geopolitical race for years to come.
’Pressing for net zero on the current timetable and current methods involve unacceptable costs to the economy and individuals.’
He said carbon reduction was 'worth doing’, but added: 'We have opted for a system that ensures massive waste, inefficiency, collusion and economic collapse, the costs of which will be borne by the average voter.
Heat pumps cost between £8,000 and £18,000 to install, while pure electric cars cost up to £10,000 more than their petrol and diesel equivalents.
Despite government subsidies, they remain unaffordable for many and there are concerns that electricity may not be able to cope with the increased demand they place on the network.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister defended its net-zero ambitions: 'Our approach… seeks to strike a balance between meeting commitments to net-zero, while not having an undue impact on the public and businesses.
’We think we are striking the right balance. It is important to understand… there are significant costs to the UK if we fail to meet our commitments to curb global warming.’
„Oddany rozwiązywacz problemów. Przyjazny hipsterom praktykant bekonu. Miłośnik kawy. Nieuleczalny introwertyk. Student.