By Paul Homewood
Interesting news:
Boris Johnson will set up an energy task force to bolster the UK’s oil, gas and nuclear supplies as he plots a way out of the energy crisis.
Two senior industry experts at its head will report directly to the Prime Minister and advise on a ‘transition period’ focusing on fossil fuels – as the Government signals its clearest move yet away from the Net Zero target.
Sources said the task force has the twin aim of boosting the UK’s energy self-sufficiency in the wake of the war in Ukraine and keeping household energy bills down.
Government insiders have privately admitted the Government’s focus on decarbonising the economy by 2050 has to be dropped in the short term.
It comes as the Prime Minister stressed the need for Europe to rid itself of its dependency on Russian oil and gas, and Ministers grapple with spiralling heating costs.
‘We don’t want to be at the mercy of brutal dictators like Putin,’ said a source familiar with the plan.
One insider said: ‘Net Zero is dead.’ Another said a clear directive against the ‘green agenda’ and away from Net Zero has been set by political strategist Sir Lynton Crosby, who has been advising the Prime Minister.
Last night, a senior Downing Street source insisted the Net Zero 2050 target has not been scrapped and was still the ultimate goal. But they admitted that in the short term the focus will shift back to fossil fuels to ease the pain for British households.
This will include oil and gas from the North Sea and Canada, while fracking is also now on the table.
The source insisted, though, that ‘in the long term the goal is still the same’ on renewable energy and Net Zero.
The new task force is also expected to produce actionable plans for boosting the UK’s use of solar and wind power and nuclear energy – developing ‘more reliable home-grown British energy’.
However, the source added the pursuit of Net Zero would be out of ‘practical necessity, not lofty green commitments’.
The task force will be ‘very action-focused’, sources said, with its two experts empowered to ‘cut through’ Civil Service red tape and bring together the Treasury, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Department and planning departments. Two candidates – one academic and another involved in energy finance – are in discussions for the positions.
The roles have been modelled in part on Kate Bingham, who was brought in to chair the UK vaccine task force in 2020.
Downing Street Chief of Staff Steve Barclay will chair a Cabinet sub-committee focusing on revamping energy policy.
Anything which moves decision making away from the green blob in the civil service is very welcome.
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March 13, 2022 at 10:18AM
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