Foreword 1 - WordPress

The Green New DealDeclaring a Climate EmergencyIn October 2018 the UN’sIntergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange published a landmark reportwarning of the urgent need for rapidand unprecedented change in allaspects of society to cut emissions inhalf in just 12 years.Green councillors in Bristol were thefirst very politicians in the UK to act inresponse. Weeks after the publicationof the UN Report, Green Cllr CarlaDenyer brought an urgent motion toBristol City Council declaring a ClimateEmergency and committing the Councilto comprehensive action to make thecity carbon neutral by 2030.The motion passed – and set off acascade of others. Over 150 localauthorities have now declared their ownClimate Emergencies, along with theScottish Parliament and the NationalAssembly for Wales. Green councillorsand activists are now working to helpthose declaring emergencies to followthrough on their promise of action,delivering radical action to halt theClimate Emergency from the ground up.Carla is the Green Party candidate forBristol West in this General Election.In spring 2019 the Green MP forBrighton Pavilion, Caroline Lucas,sponsored an Early Day Motionhighlighting the Climate Emergency, andwelcomed environmental activist GretaThunberg to Parliament. A few weeksafter Greta addressed MPs on the needfor action, Parliament itself declared aClimate Emergency. Caroline continuesto work to ensure that warm words fromMPs on tackling the Climate Emergencyare followed through with meaningfulaction.From council chambers to Westminster,and in hundreds of places in between,Greens are leading the fight againstclimate chaos.This election is your chance to standwith us and put the Climate Emergencyat the top of the political agenda.Green Party Manifesto 20199

The Green New Deal for energyThe key to reducing our impact on theclimate is to stop burning fossil fuels assoon as possible.The UK has an abundance of the wind,tides, sun and rivers needed to beself-sufficient in energy – and it’s timefor investment to unleash this potentialand enable us leave oil and gas in theground.The Green New Deal will accelerate thetransformation of our energy supply andcreate the energy infrastructure of thefuture – one powered by renewables –working in harmony with a reduction inenergy demand.With our renewable energy supplyunlocked, we can hugely reduce fossilfuel use in our energy system, and withit our reliance on nuclear power.The Green New Deal for energy willrevolutionise the way we produce anduse energy. It will: Enable communities to developtheir own renewable energyprojects, so that the benefits oflocally generated energy can staylocal. Introduce new support andincentives to directly acceleratewind energy development, pavingthe way for wind to provide around70% of the UK’s electricity by 2030.10If Not Now, When? Introduce new support for solar,geothermal, tidal, hydro and otherrenewable energies to providemuch of the remainder of the UK’senergy supply by 2030. Transform the planning system sothat it works to support a massiveincrease in wind power and otherrenewable generation. Work with the Crown Estate, whichowns much of the UK’s coastline,to open up more coastal waters foroffshore wind and marine energy.We will ensure that the long-termprofits from these vital energyassets come to the UK governmentrather than energy firms. Remove subsidies to the oil and gasindustries. Apply a Carbon Tax on all fossil fuelimports and domestic extraction,based on greenhouse gas emissionsproduced when fuel is burnt. Wewill also apply a Carbon Tax onimported energy, based on itsembedded emissions. We will raisethe Carbon Tax rate progressivelyover a decade, rendering coal, oiland gas financially unviable ascheaper renewable energies rise upto take their place. Connect our electricity supply moreclosely to that of our neighbours inEurope, to provide a wider supplywe can call on when needed and

Deploy demand side managementand significantly expand andimprove the efficiency of theelectricity grid, doubling itscapacity so that it can distributethe increased electricity the UK willneed as it transitions away fromfossil fuels. Encourage greater energy efficiencyacross the economy, includingby providing energy efficiencytraining for businesses and publicbodies, emphasising the need forbehavioural change – we all needto value energy as we value money.Small businesses and co-ops willreceive this training for free. Ban fracking, and otherunconventional forms of fossil fuelextraction, now and forever.The Green New Dealto allow us to export electricitywhen we have a surplus. Subseaconnections to Norway and Icelandto connect to their hydro andgeothermal power supplies will beparticularly encouraged. Expand our short-term capacity forenergy storage so that electricityfrom peak periods of renewableelectricity generation (e.g. days withvery strong winds and many hoursof sunshine) can be effectivelystored – utilising solutions such asdomestic solar batteries, storageas heat in hot water cylinders andthermal stores, and smart control ofvehicle battery charging. Prohibit the construction ofnuclear power stations. We knowthat nuclear is a distraction fromdeveloping renewable energy,carries an unacceptable risk forthe communities living close tonuclear energy facilities, createsunmanageable quantities ofradioactive waste and is inextricablylinked with the production ofworld-destroying nuclear weapons.Green Party Manifesto 201911

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Green New Deal investment in housingwill simultaneously reduce climateemissions, tackle fuel poverty andprovide genuinely affordable housing.We will improve the insulation of everyhome in the UK, making sure they areall warm in winter. This green homesrevolution will make sure nobody isforced to choose between heating oreating.Everyone should have a safe, affordableand warm place to call home. We willend the housing crisis by creatingenough affordable homes – including100,000 new council homes a year.Our plans will also ensure that all newand renovated homes meet the highestpossible standards and meet socialneeds. Work on our homes, businessesand public buildings will create qualityjobs in every part of the UK as we shiftto a net zero carbon economy.Our Green New Deal for housing will: Empower local authorities to bringempty homes back into use andcreate a total of 100,000 newhomes for social rent (councilhomes) a year, built to thePassivhaus or equivalent standard.This standard will see these newhomes use 90% less energy forspace heating than the averagehome, significantly reducinghousehold bills. Allocate funding to local authoritiesfor council home creation basedon the needs of their area. Weexpect much of the need to beconcentrated in areas where GreenNew Deal jobs will be created. Wewill incentivise local authoritiesto spread small developmentsacross their areas, rather thanbuilding huge new estates, and tobuild, renovate and convert to highquality designs that respect localarchitectural heritage. The newcouncil homes will offer secure,lifetime tenancies.The Green New DealThe Green New Deal forhousing Ensure all new developments willbe located and designed to ensurethat residents do not need cars tolive a full life, either having safepedestrian access to local shopsand schools, or are within 1km ofa local rail, tube or tram station,or 500m of a high frequency busservice. Make energy efficiency andelimination fuel poverty a nationalinfrastructure priority. Improve the insulation of every UKhome that needs more insulation by2030. The material used for theseinsulation improvements will besustainable.Green Party Manifesto 201913

Significantly reduce heating bills byimproving 1 million existing homesand other buildings a year, so thatthey reach the highest standard ofenergy efficiency (over and abovethe Energy Performance CertificateA rating). Homes lived in by peopleon low incomes will be the first toreceive these major improvementsand benefit from reduced heatingbills. This will be a deep retrofittingof 10 million homes by 2030, ontop of the insulation improvementsevery home that needs it willreceive. Roll out solar panels and otherforms of renewable domesticenergy generation, giving 1 millionhouseholds a year the means togenerate a proportion of the energythey use. This will mean that 10million homes are able to generatetheir own renewable energy by2030. Reduce the use of natural gasfor heating homes through aprogramme, to replace pollutingboilers with renewable heat fromheat pumps, and solar thermal,geothermal, biomass and storedheat technologies. Insulate non domestic buildings,addressing the large amounts ofenergy lost from offices and publicbuildings.14If Not Now, When? Deploy heat networks to transportheat from the source of renewableheat to individual buildings in adistrict or neighbourhood. Transform the planning system andbuilding regulations, so that all newbuildings built by private developersare built to the Passivhaus standard(or to a standard that deliversenergy efficiency at an equivalent orbetter level). We will enable selfbuild development that meets thesame standards. Improve building regulations so thatall renovations to roofs, externalwalls, windows and doors improvethe energy performance of that partof the building to the equivalentof (or better than) an EnergyPerformance Certificate A rating.We will reinstate the requirementfor local council building controlinspectors to carry out inspectionsthemselves of new build propertiesand renovations to ensure thiswork is carried out to the requiredstandards. Ensure that all 8 million rentedhomes are A rated for energyefficiency, or as close to thisas possible, by implementinga Minimum Energy EfficiencyStandard escalator to raise theminimum level allowed from thecurrent E rating to A rating by 2030.

The Green New Deal fortransport Change the planning system toincentivise renovation, extensionand improvement of existingbuildings, rather than relyingon new build, to reduce the useof steel, concrete, cladding andfinishes, which produce massiveamounts of carbon in theirmanufacture. Similarly we willincentivise the use of sustainablematerials.Our transport system is built on fossilfuels. As well as destabilising ourclimate, this reliance traps us intostressful, unhealthy and expensiveforms of travel. Car dependencycontributes to congestion, road dangerand air pollution whilst reducingphysical activity.These reforms will integrate closely withthe proposals set out in the ‘Deliveringsecure incomes and homes’ section onpage 49.The Green New Deal Update the fire safety regulationsrelating to the use of all types ofinsulation in buildings.The Green New Deal will revolutioniseour transport system by endingdependence on carbon, and investinginstead in alternatives that work forbetter for the climate and for people.This means more reliable and affordabletrains, electric buses and trams, andbetter options for cycling and walking.From new trains and targeted farereductions, to rapidly expanding bikehire schemes, we think it’s time totransform the way the UK moves.Our Green New Deal for transport willinvest in public transport, walking andcycling so wherever people live they arenot forced to use a car, by: Spending 2.5 billion a year onnew cycleways and footpaths, builtusing sustainable materials, such aswoodchips and sawdust. Making travelling by publictransport cheaper than travellingby car, by reducing the cost ofGreen Party Manifesto 201915

travelling by train and bus. Coachtravel will also be encouraged, withnew routes for electric coachesprovided across the country. Creating a new golden age of trainby opening new rail connectionsthat remove bottlenecks, increaserail freight capacity, improvejourney times and frequencies,enhance capacity in the South West,Midlands and North, and connectcurrently unconnected urban areas.We would also look, where possible,to re-open closed stations. Theserail improvements will benefitfrom funding switched from thedamaging HS2 scheme, which wewill cancel (see ‘Ending wastefulspending’ section below for moredetails). Electrifying all railway linesthat connect cities, improvingpunctuality. Creating a government-ownedrolling stock company which wouldinvest in a fleet of new electrictrains to run on newly electrifiedlines. Giving responsibility for runningshort-distance passenger railfranchises to councils, or groups ofcouncils that come together to workon local transport. This will givelocal communities a greater say inthe running of the rail services theyrely on. We will bring all railways16If Not Now, When?back into public ownership over tenyears. Ensuring good railway connectionswith all ports to enable more freightbetween ports and inland terminalsto be carried on rail. We will investin additional freight routes resultingin the majority of long-distancefreight switching from road to rail. Giving all local authorities controlover bus services (as Londoncurrently has) and supportinglocal authorities to restore lost busroutes and open new ones. Localauthorities serving urban areas willbe encouraged to explore tramwaysas an additional public transportoption. Providing more bus prioritymeasures on the roads to improvepunctuality. Funding local authorities to improvethe appearance and facilities ofbus stops, bus stations and trainstations, to make them more userfriendly and convenient for bothpassengers and transport staff.This includes the provision of morepublic toilets, and ensuring fullaccessibility for disabled people. Apply a Carbon Tax on all fossilfuels, as outlined above in the‘Green New Deal for energy’section, which will increase thecost of petrol, diesel and shipping

Ban advertising for flights, andintroduce a Frequent Flyer Levy toreduce the impact of the 15% ofpeople who take 70% of flights. ThisFrequent Flyer Levy only appliesto people who take more than one(return) flight a year, discouragingexcessive flying. Stop the building of new runwaysand all increased road capacity,saving thousands of acres ofcountryside every year andprotecting people from the harm ofincreased air pollution and trafficdanger. End the sale of new petrol anddiesel fuelled vehicles by 2030.Over the next ten years we will easethis transition by incentivising thereplacement of diesel and petrolvans, lorries and coaches withelectric vehicles. Our priority isreducing overall mileage and thenumber of vehicles on our roads –these further measures will ensurethat the vehicles still on our roadsin 2030 create the minimum ofpollution. Even electric vehiclespollute, so they represent animprovement on the currentsituation, not a solution inthemselves. Create a network of electric vehiclecharging points across the country,by requiring their constructionthrough the planning system andencouraging the private sector todeliver them. We will ensure thatthese charging points are locatedin public places, and do not takeup pavement and cycling space.We will require all existing petrolstations and motorway servicestations to offer electric vehiclecharging points by 2025.The Green New Dealfuel, as well as on aviation fuel fordomestic flights. Domestic flightswill also lose their VAT exemptionand there will be an additionalsurcharge on domestic aviationfuel to account for the increasedwarming effect of emissionsrelease at altitude. We will lobbyagainst the international rules thatprevent action being taken to taxinternational aviation fuel. Civilise our streets by making LowTraffic Neighbourhoods (in whichrat-running is blocked) the normfor residential areas and making20 miles per hour the defaultspeed limit. These changes wouldreduce traffic, carbon emissionsand danger to people walkingand cycling. They would restoreour streets to all people. Theywould also form part of a widercommitment to the core principleof the Vision Zero campaign – thatthere should be no fatalities orserious injuries as a result of roadtraffic collisions. Make 40 miles per hour the defaultspeed limit in non-residential areasexcept on major roads.Green Party Manifesto 201917

Ensure through the planning systemthat all new housing is served byhigh quality walking and cyclingroutes and much improved bus,tram and local rail services. Newresidents must not be forced intocar use. Incentivise changes to travellingbehaviour by promoting more stayat home working (with workinghours’ heating, electricity and Wi-Ficosts reimbursed by employersfor low income workers workingfrom home), more businessteleconferencing, more local workstation hubs and more car clubschemes. We will also encouragemore domestic holiday travel,through removing VAT from UKhotel and holiday home stays andattractions.The Green New Deal forindustryGreen New Deal investment willrebalance industry, away from thecarbon past and towards the renewablefuture.New technologies, along with hugeexpansions in renewable energy, willcreate millions of new, good quality,well-paid, secure jobs in every cornerof the country – with training for thesenew jobs funded by the Green NewDeal. This unprecedented investmentin training and skills will prioritisecommunities hit hard by economicchanges over recent decades.A circular economy will underpin thisgreen industrial revolution, designingout waste and pollution, keepingproducts and materials in use, andregenerating natural systems. Recyclingand repairing will be made easier forall, reducing the need to buy new,expensive products on a regular basis.Our Green New Deal for industry will: Bring back the UK as aninternationally recognisedmanufacturing powerhouse withproactive, wide-scale support forthe UK-based manufacturing ofrenewable energy infrastructure. Set new clean technologystandards and invest in research18If Not Now, When?

Help create a network of regionalmutual banks to provide funding forstart-up companies (particularlyco-operatives, communityinterest companies and othernon-profit businesses) developingtechnologies which contribute todecarbonising our economy. Apply a Carbon Tax as outlinedabove in the ‘Green New Deal forenergy’ section. This will raise theprice of processes that use fossilfuels and thus of the productsthey produce. This will incentiviseindustry to switch to low and zerocarbon technology and equipmentas

Foreword 1 Executive Summary 3 The Green New Deal 5 The Green New Deal for energy 10 The Green New Deal for housing 13 The Green New Deal for transport 15 The Green New Deal for industry 18 The Green New Deal for food, farming & forestry 21 .