Conservatives and Climate

In a comprehensive analysis of UK political parties’ green policies, Greenpeace has evaluated their strengths and weaknesses in addressing climate and nature issues.

Conservatives

• Strengths: Quick ratification of the Global Ocean Treaty and banning new incinerators.
• Weaknesses: More oil and gas licenses, insufficient action on sewage pollution, cold homes, public transport investment, and nature protection.
• Overall Score: 5/40
• Greenpeace Analysis: The Conservatives’ focus on fossil fuels is counterproductive, lacking credible plans to tackle key environmental issues.
  

  Green Party
  

• Strengths: Ambitious investments in renewables, green homes, and transport, support for climate-impacted developing countries, green farming, and sewage pollution control.
• Weaknesses: Unclear plans to help the poorest households with high energy bills.
• Overall Score: 39/40
• Greenpeace Analysis: The Green Party presents the most ambitious and comprehensive plans, funding through wealth taxes and targeting polluters.
  

  Labour Party
  

• Strengths: No new oil and gas licenses, rapid renewable energy rollout, green homes, and tackling zero-hour contracts.
• Weaknesses: Inadequate sewage pollution plan, insufficient action on industrial fishing and plastic pollution, no reversal of anti-protest laws.
• Overall Score: 20.5/40
• Greenpeace Analysis: Labour has promising climate commitments but lacks sufficient investment in the green transition.
  

  Liberal Democrats
  

• Strengths: Strong plans for sewage pollution, tackling emissions from flying, cheaper public transport, and support for developing countries.
• Weaknesses: Potential new oil and gas licenses, vague international ocean protection plans.
• Overall Score: 31.5/40
• Greenpeace Analysis: The Lib Dems set a high bar but need more courage in confronting the fossil fuel industry.
  

  Scottish National Party (SNP)
  

• Strengths: Plans to reduce poverty, expand public rail ownership, and help oil and gas workers transition to green jobs.
• Weaknesses: Reversed pledge on new oil and gas drilling, unclear climate target delivery plans, and lacking leadership on nature protection.
• Overall Score: Not scored
• Greenpeace Analysis: The SNP needs concrete plans rather than warm words.
  

  Plaid Cymru
  

• Strengths: Investment in green infrastructure, better public transport, fairer tax system, and social energy tariff.
• Weaknesses: Inadequate net zero target plans, lacking vision for nature.
• Overall Score: Not scored
• Greenpeace Analysis: Plaid Cymru has good policies but lacks details on delivery and funding.
  Overall, the Greenpeace analysis highlights the Green Party as the most ambitious and comprehensive in addressing climate and nature crises, while other parties show varying levels of commitment and effectiveness.