Electiongreening

It has been brought to my attention that despite not updating this blog regularly, some people in Oxford have discovered of my internet existence here. And are talking to each other about it. So I thought I should probably post something new to welcome you here and provide some more green food for thought.

What with all the post-election kerfuffle currently going in the UK on I thought I might evaluate where the various parties stand on green issues so you can decide what you think of the hypothetical Lib-Con / Lib-Lab / “traffic light” coalitions, in terms of green policies…

Green party – Obviously the traditional leader when it comes to green issues. Had a fab selection of policies in their manifesto for cutting carbon emissions and some nice liberal policies for education and health etc (they’re not just an environmental party!). However, I didn’t vote for them in this election. WHAT?! I hear you say. And a couple of years ago I would have been horrified at the thought that I would vote for any party other than green. But the green party have a traditional policy of opposing animal testing, including for medical research. And now I’m working as a neuroscientist, I can’t support this. Several of my colleagues are involved in some sort of animal research, and whilst I don’t like animals being kept in cages in labs, I know that a lot of the work these animals are involved with is incredibly, incredibly important for human and animal health, and for furthering our understanding of how brains (not just our own) work. The whole animal research debate is something I won’t go into further now, but this does mean that I didn’t vote green last Thursday. However I DID vote green in my local elections! I think local councils are not so concerned with animal research and more concerned with things such as recycling and waste. Anyway. Back to the party green policy evaluation.

Labour – Have committed to 80% CO2 cuts by 2050, and at the time this legislation was passed it was the most ambitious of its kind in the whole world, ahead of any other Western country. It was, at the time, an unprecedented step and a world leading policy. Whether we in the UK do manage these cuts or not, it highlighted the crucial need to do something to curb emissions drastically, and paved the way for other countries to follow suit in passing similar legislation. However since this, Labour have supported the building of a third runway at Heathrow (although due to huge public opposition this might not now go ahead). They support the building of new nuclear power stations to meet the UK’s energy demand. Although I personally do not like the idea of nuclear power, I accept that it must form a part of our future energy mix if we are to reduce completely our burning of fossil fuels.

Conservatives – Support the cutting of CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050. Opposed the building of the new runway at Heathrow. Recently elected MP Zac Goldsmith is supposedly an environmentalist. David Cameron tried to put a wind turbine on his house in Notting Hill. No further comment.

Liberal Democrats – Even more ambitious carbon cutting targets than Labour (100% by 2050 I believe). Heavily emphasise the need to develop new renewable energy sources in the UK. Against nuclear power, a stance of which I approve in principle, but disagree with in reality given that we will need nuclear power in order to reduce emissions from coal. I think part of the reason the Liberal Democrats are against more nuclear power is because it will take a long time to build the stations, and so won’t contribute to carbon reduction targets in time for 2050. I don’t know enough about nuclear power to know if this is correct or not. Overall the most ambitious green policies of the three main parties, so given their current status as “kingmakers”, may be able to influence a power-sharing party (whether Con or Lab) towards even more environmental policies. Although given the current importance of the economy and electoral reform, environmental policies are likely to be rather low down their list of priorities.

Although the three main parties differ in their attention to detail when it comes to environmental policies, I am hugely encouraged to see that the environment and climate change featured relatively heavily in their manifestos, along with the traditional important areas like health, crime and immigration. This isn’t necessarily based in true altruistic concern for the environment, but I don’t really care, as long as someone in power starts to doing something serious about saving us and preferably as many other species as possible from the dangers of man-made climate change.

Finally, I would like to say a huge CONGRATULTIONS to Caroline Lucas, our first ever Green MP, who was elected in the Brighton Pavilion constituency. Despite their stance on animal research I am still, at heart, a Green, and overjoyed at Caroline’s election. I’ve heard her speak a few times, and always come away feeling energised and enthusiastic, when before I was despondent and doubtful. I can’t wait to follow everything she achieves in Westminster.