The Chancellor has launched a strong push-back towards the former net zero tsar, following his resignation from the Conservative party. The cause of this rift in the party was the decision to increase domestic oil and gas drilling, a move the former tsar believes undermines the nation’s commitment to achieve net zero emissions. The escalating war of words between these two figures is shedding light on deeper ideological divides concerning energy policies within the party.
1. The Chancellor clashed with the former net zero tsar after his resignation from the Conservative party over the decision to increase domestic oil and gas drilling.
2. The imposition of domestic oil and gas drilling, which the former net zero tsar thinks undercuts the nation's commitment to net zero emissions, has led to significant disagreement within the party.
3. The escalating discord between the two figures is highlighting deeper ideological disputes over energy policies within the Conservative party.
4. The Chancellor defended the government policy of domestic oil and gas drilling, stating it was crucial for the country's energy security.
5. He justified the policy, citing the unreliability of volatile foreign oil markets, the need for a domestic source amid the global energy crisis, and questioned the feasibility of an immediate, large-scale shift to renewable energy under current conditions.
In the UK, oil and gas production activities released around 20.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2019.
The Chancellor has vehemently defended the government's policy, arguing that the decision to increase domestic oil and gas drilling was essential for the country's energy security. He highlighted the dangerous dependence on unstable foreign oil markets, and the paramount importance of having a reliable domestic source amidst the global energy crisis. Additionally, he indirectly questioned the former net-zero tsar's criticism, asserting that the practicality of an immediate switch to renewable energy sources on a large scale remains questionable under present circumstances.