The green agenda-fueled Conservative party has begun calling for tariffs to be levied against high-carbon goods, such as steel, entering the UK.
A tax on high carbon goods like steel and others entering the United Kingdom is now being demanded by a number of conservative politicians in order to achieve the government’s net-zero green agenda.
Intended to force industries outside of the UK to cut down on their carbon emissions, the British treasury is reportedly concerned that the move will end up being quite costly for the country.
However, according to The Guardian, this does not appear to have dissuaded members of parliament within Boris Johnson’s party, who remain adamant that the policy of taxing high-carbon imports with a so-called CBAM, or Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, would protect native industry as the Tories chase their net zero targets.
“Our committee is clear that the pros of a CBAM outweigh the cons,” declared Philip Dunne, the Conservative Party chair of an “influential committee” of MPs pushing the measure.
“The targets, timetables and overall strategy for meeting net zero have been set: now the work must speed up to make the ambitions a reality,” Dunne also claimed.
“For too long the emissions from our consumption have effectively been ‘offshored’, leaving the problem as out of sight and out of mind,” he went on to say. “But we must all take greater responsibility for our consumption and the practices that our businesses and organisations adopt.”
Labour Light: Half of Conservative MP Backbenchers Join Party’s Net Zero Green Agenda Grouphttps://t.co/zoVN20M2nq
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) March 31, 2022
While some Conservative party members appear to be extremely gung-ho about implementing significant policy changes for the sake of some green agenda, others within the British government are far less keen.
For example, those within the British treasury are reported to be extremely hesitant about the measure, for fear it will further hike up prices at a time when those in the country are already struggling under the weight of rising inflation.
The Guardian also notes that the treasury fears such a measure could hinder the establishment of post-Brexit trade deals across the world, with the prospect of widening trade being initially cited as a major reason for leaving the EU.
However, a statement from the treasury seen by the publication makes clear that — despite the misgivings — the department remains committed to the current government’s green agenda, emphasising that the UK is “leading the way on the transition to net zero”.
In this sense, the department is no different to many within the Conservative Party, with over half of Tory Backbench MPs joining the Conservative Environment Network green agenda group, which hopes to push net zero policies.
Another committed member of the government’s net zero crusade is no doubt Britain’s current Conservative Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, who said on Saturday that he dreamed of a “colossal” off-shore wind farm being built on the Irish Sea.
According to The Telegraph, the comments came as Boris Johnson met with industry leaders in the sector to discuss Britain’s energy security.
“I have this dream that you can build a colossal offshore wind farm floated out to the Irish Sea,” one person present described the PM as saying, with the admission reportedly evoking smiles from others in the room.
The publication does not clarify whether these smiles were thought to be of approval regarding the suggestion, or comical bemusement.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.