Former UK Tony Blair has called for abandoning net zero targets and expanding oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. Energy experts describe this position as a dangerous setback for the United Kingdom, according to the Guardian.
Ed Matthew, UK programme director at the think tank E3G, called Blair’s intervention ‘bizarre.’ He pointed to the current May heatwave, the worst on record, and the Iran crisis, which he said once again highlights the enormous costs of oil and gas.
‘Clean energy is cheaper energy – it protects our bills from price spikes, its running costs are near zero, and it doesn’t cause climate change that threatens economic collapse,’ Matthew said. He urged the government to ignore Blair’s ‘ideological nonsense’ and focus on what works.
Experts argue that abandoning net zero and drilling more in the North Sea would not help the British economy. Instead, they warn of higher energy costs and greater dependence on fossil fuels, which could drive up energy prices for citizens.
Blair, who was prime minister from 1997 to 2007, has spoken on climate policy several times in recent years. But his latest proposals face widespread rejection among experts, who point to the growing cost-effectiveness of renewable energy.
Source: www.theguardian.com
