From Peter Ainsworth MP.

Sir, Your article “Wilting agenda: Britain loses its appetite for green initiatives”, Analysis, May 28) stated incorrectly that the importance of tackling climate change has dropped off the list of Conservative political priorities.

The idea that green issues evaporate at the first touch of economic hardship betrays a misunderstanding of the environmental agenda. The necessity to build a sustainable economy is not just a “green issue”. It is just as much an economic one; business as usual is clearly unsustainable in the long term. Current economic stresses should underline that point rather than diminish it.

Any public policy that makes our vehicles, homes and businesses more fuel-efficient and encourages the use of cheaper, more reliable sources of energy is not peripheral, but central. Green policies therefore become more important in times of economic stress, not less. The issues of increased energy costs and the need for emissions reductions must be addressed by policies to develop low-carbon technologies.

The necessity to build a future British economy that is sustainable in the long term must not be used as an excuse to raise money for a cash-strapped Treasury today. There can be few better ways of putting the public off the whole green agenda than dressing up new taxes as green taxes. David Cameron has made it very clear that any green taxes introduced by the next Conservative government will be replacement and not additional taxes. Any rises in green taxation will be compensated by reductions elsewhere – for example, on families and work.

The whole point of green taxation is to change behaviour and to provide incentives. Thus, the government’s meddling with vehicle excise duty is wholly misconceived. It threatens to punish people for decisions they have already made.This tax increase would raise more than £1bn for the Treasury, with with no reduction in the tax burden elsewhere and all resulting in only a microscopic cut in CO2 emissions.

David Cameron has not gone quiet on climate change. It remains one of the top policy priorities of our party and we believe we can deliver the necessary change through positive, job-creating policies rather than using the environment as an excuse to raise revenues when the going gets tough.

Peter Ainsworth,
Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs