Andy Burnham, the UK prime minister, has faced significant backlash regarding his stance on climate change, particularly due to a simultaneous effort to adjust electric vehicle (EV) sales targets while also considering continued oil and gas extraction from the North Sea. This criticism comes amid a period of severe climate disruption, including devastating wildfires across the UK.
Response to the Climate Emergency
During a visit to the Met Office weather and climate service in Exeter on Friday, Burnham acknowledged that the current climate crisis was responsible for hundreds of wildfires that have swept across various parts of the UK. The scale of the disaster prompted government intervention, including the mobilization of the military, a temporary prohibition on disposable barbecues, and the activation of the national alert system to provide safety advice for residents in England and Wales who face risks on Friday night.
In the West Midlands, where multiple homes were destroyed by recent wildfires, Burnham spoke about the seriousness of the situation. He stated that the extreme heat and drought meant that “We cannot accept this as the new normal… This isn’t happening in isolation,” adding that “This is what climate change looks like, here and now.”
Policy Shifts and Conflicting Approaches
Despite acknowledging the severity of the climate emergency, Burnham was simultaneously accused by critics of failing to address the push for net-zero emissions adequately. On the same day the climate crisis was highlighted, the government launched a consultation proposing reductions to the mandatory target for new EVs. Under current regulations, carmakers are required to sell an increasing percentage of pure electric cars, reaching 80% by 2030. The new consultation suggests several options, including keeping the original target, or lowering it to 70%, 60%, or as low as 50% of all new cars.
Environmental campaigners warn that these proposals could inject millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide into the UK’s emissions annually. The government’s consultation on the EV target is currently open until October 23.
Furthermore, Burnham defended a “pragmatic” position regarding the continued extraction of oil and gas from the North Sea. His government is due to make a decision on whether to permit new drilling at the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields; a consultation concerning the Rosebank field closes on Monday.
Expert and Environmental Reaction
Environmental organizations strongly criticized both the EV policy adjustments and the North Sea drilling consideration. Greenpeace stated that permitting extraction at these fields was a “Rubicon that he must not cross.”
Hannah Martin, co-director of Green New Deal Rising, stated that Burnham had finally acknowledged the cause of the wildfires, drought, and extreme heat. She pressed him to use this recognition to implement policies that include: “saying no to new drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea,” boosting investment in renewable energy and climate jobs, improving public transport, and increasing the insulation of homes, hospitals, and schools.
Sam Keely of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) also urged Burnham to maintain the government’s commitment to the EV rollout. According to Keely, transitioning to EVs is “one of the single most important policies for cutting UK emissions” and would save British motorists billions of pounds in fuel costs.
Conversely, the automotive industry representatives voiced concerns that the current Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate places excessive pressure on manufacturers. Speaking to the media, the industry stated that the mandate compels them to sell electric cars at discounts and that failure to adjust the rules could lead to job losses or even the closure of UK factories.
The government’s Climate Change Committee previously stated that the switch to EVs is projected to be the largest single contributor to reducing UK carbon pollution over the next decade. Under the existing rules, the sale of new petrol and diesel cars is scheduled to cease in 2035.
The most extreme proposal—reducing the headline EV rate to 50%—could potentially decrease electric car sales by 5.8 million, according to ECIU analysis. However, the government, through Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, defended the need for reviewing the targets to ensure they are “practical and back British industry.”
During the recent West Midlands wildfires, 19 homes were destroyed, 200 hectares (500 acres) were burned, and dozens of people were taken to hospitals. Burnham addressed the public, asking citizens to consider the risk, stating, “Britain is a tinderbox right now. Setting a fire in any outdoor setting is a risk to people’s homes and other people’s lives.” He also announced plans to commission firefighting planes and appointed a new fire minister, arguing that the country must “face up” to the changing climate.
