An excellent report BUT The Chancellor in his spring budget shows he clearly has not read it. Other than greening the Bank of England, absolutely nothing about how the U.K. is going to meet it’s climate commitment to driving down carbon emissions. As a nation we are becoming a laughing stock amongst other nations. Allowing a new coal mine is not a good start is it? Boris has his 10 point plan but there is nothing of substance in it to show how it will make much difference. Just more talk and very little action. What is the Government so frighted of... it certainly isn’t climate change, yet every day we delay, global warming emissions continue to rise. Can anyone add a comment which will give me hope for our future?

Here's the really significant bit of this report:
"If the economic recovery from covid-19 is not used as an opportunity to ‘grow back better’, then climate change and biodiversity collapse may deliver an even greater crisis. There will be no vaccine against runaway climate change.
Fortunately, many of the solutions necessary to halt biodiversity loss and slow climate change will spur innovation, create hundreds of thousands of jobs and make the economy and society more resilient to future crises. Billions of pounds of investment are needed to put nature into recovery and decarbonise industries, transport and buildings. This investment will provide economic multipliers in terms of jobs, together with wider benefits such as cleaner air and warmer homes. There are also considerable competitive economic opportunities for the UK in leading the world in a low carbon— green—industrial revolution."

In other words, it's a no-brainer. So why does the government then go and approve a new coal mine and allow the reintroduction of neonicotinoid pest controls? Ah, well, they are exceptions. We need the coal for steel. We need the neonics for the sugar beet industry which has a particular problem right now. And so on and so on...we can find exceptions to almost every measure, especially as there is a massive lobbying industry out there doing its best to push its own client's financial interests. And the greater the pollution, the more they lobby, but that's a different story.
The thing is: unless government stops making exceptions, industry won't try alternatives. Coking coal can be replaced by hydrogen. It's currently more expensive, but if industry sets its mind to finding more efficient technologies it won't be. Industry won't do that unless it has to; easier to use coal and lobby politicians. Bee-killing insecticides are cheaper than experimental catch cropping and nematode developments.
As I said to the Chair of this Commons Committee, "...There will always be exceptional circumstances argued by lobby groups and each time the government gives way the chances of saving the human race are reduced. It’s that important, as you know; I’m not sure the PM does."
The hope for the future is that increasing numbers of young people, who will still be alive when these 'targets' are going to arrive, are realising they have to do something about it too. In Stretton, it's still the vaccinated ones who are talking about this, and only a few of them. Further afield, those returning to school today are demanding something more than just words. It may not be grounds for hope, but it does give the prospect of hope.