The Treasury Committee is relaunching its green finance inquiry, seeking additional written evidence.
This evidence is to be on whether the UK’s response to COVID-19 should take net zero by 2050 into account and how this should be done.
Corona virus (Image: ScientificAnimations.com/Wikimedia)
More specifically, the Committee is looking for evidence on whether there are any green policies the Treasury should change or commence due to COVID-19 to facilitate the transition to net zero, whether the Treasury should directly fund green infrastructure as part of its COVID-19 spending package and if there are any outcomes from COVID-19 that will enable the Treasury and HMRC to meet net zero more easily.
Other questions that the Committee are asking for evidence for are:
- In which ways will the new economy post-coronavirus allow the Government to change the way it finances meeting the net zero Target?
- Should the Treasury’s support package for business distinguish between companies based on how much they pollute?
Mel Stride, chair of the Treasury Committee, said the Committee had received “a great deal” of evidence since launching the inquiry over a year ago but that since then, COVID-19 has had an impact on the economy meaning that “clearly much has changed”.
“The Climate Assembly’s report published last month said that post-lockdown steps to aid economic recovery should drive progress to achieve net zero.
“So now is the time to ask whether the government can seize the opportunity presented by the crisis to further green the economy to achieve net zero by 2050,” Stride added.
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