Gary Smith, GMB general secretary, cautioned that Labour’s commitment to transition to clean energy by 2030 is far-fetched and could result in power outages.
Ed Miliband’s net zero targets have been slated as unrealistic. (Image: Getty)
Ed Miliband‘s plans for a greener Britain have been dealt another blow after the Government was told to dismiss the “false prophets of climate fundamentalism” and reconsider its net zero ambitions. Gary Smith, GMB general secretary, cautioned in The Times that Labour’s commitment to transition to clean energy by 2030 is far-fetched and could result in power outages similar to those experienced in Spain recently.
He also slammed proposals to prohibit future North Sea exploration licences, arguing it would “accelerate the decline of domestic oil and gas production and increase our dependency on gas imports”. Mr Smith contended that Spain’s “catastrophic” electricity grid collapse should serve as a “massive wake-up call” for ministers. He wrote: “I’d like to think our government, at all levels, was asking the critical question, ‘What if this happens to us?’ Because it could have.
Labour has been urged to rethink its net zero ambitions. (Image: Getty)
“The real questions are about wider national energy resilience and security of supply, and how both should be at the forefront of governments’ net zero plans. My union believes the existing trajectory risks putting the energy cart before the industrial horse.”
The UK is reportedly lagging behind in its preparations to enhance the electricity grid’s capacity by 2030, with a shortage of trained workers and supply chains.
Despite £46 billion in cable contracts being awarded for grid upgrades, the nation lacks the manufacturing capacity to undertake these projects domestically.
Mr Smith added: “We seem to have fired the starting gun on the sprint to clean power without getting our runners ‘race ready’.”
He also reiterated his critique of the ban on new North Sea oil and gas exploration licences, pointing to the Dutch strategy of increasing gas production and backing new projects to meet domestic needs until 2045.
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He wrote: “Like the Netherlands, four fifths of UK households are dependent on gas for heating. But the government here remains committed to banning future North Sea exploration and production licences.
“This will simply accelerate the decline of domestic oil and gas production and increase our dependency on gas imports. Across society, bill-payers will question why they are subsidising a domestic clean power sprint that is offshoring UK jobs and value.”
The union boos then took aim at Mr Miliband’s promise of new green jobs, labelling it a “promised nirvana” that appears to be a “distant prospect”.
He penned: “There will be many benefits from the transition to net zero but the choices we make in getting there must be better than those offered by the false prophets of climate fundamentalism and diversionary populism.”
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has been contacted for comment.
