Minister Zac Goldsmith has tendered a letter of resignation to Rishi Sunak, citing the PM’s ‘apathy’ over climate change.
Since September 2022 Goldsmith has held the position of Minister of State for Overseas Territories, Commonwealth, Energy, Climate and Environment – a role he says has become ‘untenable’ due to the Government ‘abandoning’ its environmental action plan, both domestically and abroad.
“The UK has visibly stepped off the world stage and withdrawn our leadership on climate and nature. Too often we are simply absent from key international fora,” wrote Goldsmith, adding that ‘only last week you seemingly chose to attend the party of a media baron rather than attend a critically important environment summit in Paris that ordinarily the UK would have co-led’.
“Worse still, we have effectively abandoned one of the most widely reported and solemn promises we have made on this issue: our pledge to spend £11.6 billion of our aid on climate and environment.
The UK has visibly stepped off the world stage and withdrawn our leadership on climate
“I have struggled to even to hold down the line in recent months. The problem is not that the Government is hostile to the environment, it is that you, our Prime Minister, are simply uninterested. That signal, or lack of it, has trickled down through Whitehall and caused a kind of paralysis. But even if this existential challenge leaves you personally unmoved, there is a world of people who do care very much. And you will need their votes. Every survey and poll – without exception – tells us that people care deeply about the natural world, about the welfare of other species, about handing this world in better shape to the next generation. And as these issues inevitably grow in importance, so too will the gap between the British people and a Conservative party that fails to respond appropriately.”
Goldsmith’s resignation comes as the Climate Change Committee (CCC) issued its own criticism on Wednesday of the Government’s ‘worryingly slow’ action on climate and its ‘lack of urgency’ to develop policy at pace. The report advises ‘retaking a clear leadership role internationally’ and ‘moving as swiftly as possible towards delivery’ of existing commitments.
Lord Deben, chair of the climate watchdog – whose term concludes this month – spoke to the BBC of his disappointment that his final report ‘does not show satisfactory progress’.
Pictured: Goldsmith speaking at NOPEX 2018
