Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins has outlined Labour’s pledges to tackle climate change after revealing that he has received over 200 emails from constituents so far this year on the issue. 

Constituents have urged Toby to support campaigns about environmental issues and to urge the government to take urgent action. 

Climate change has moved up the political agenda recently with the record temperatures and projections suggesting that extremely hot summers will be much more regular by 2050 

Last year, the Office for Budget Responsibility published their Fiscal Risks Report which argued that delay by even a decade doubles the cost of transition to a green economy, and that inaction could see debt spiral to 289% of GDP.  

Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has set out that an incoming Labour government would invest £28 billion of green capital investment per year until 2030 for our country.  

In her announcement, Rachel Reeves pledged that Labour would: 

• Insulate 19 million homes in a decade, cut gas imports by 15% and cut bills by up to £400; 
• Double our onshore wind capacity to 30GW by 2030, to power an extra ten million homes; 
• Increase offshore wind capacity to at least 75GW by 2035; 
• Triple solar power by 2030, back tidal power and further investment in hydrogen; 
• End the delay on nuclear power, confirming Sizewell C and backing small modular reactors

Toby stated “Climate change is clearly an important issue, as shown by the amount of correspondence from local residents about this matter. Recent campaigns such as the Big Plastic Count have really captured the public’s attention, which have been a great way of illustrating how we need to change our own habits and cut down on single-use plastic”.          

He added “I’m pleased that the Party have set out what measures a future Labour government would take to tackle climate change and ensure a green economy. As the OBR set out last year, the longer we wait, the more expensive this will become.”.