Steve Brine has signed up to become a green homes champion, to help accelerate action on climate change in Parliament, as part of the Conservative Environment Network (CEN).
The Winchester & Chandler’s Ford MP, who has campaigned for more than a decade under the Green Winchester banner, will be working with 24 other Conservative MPs to promote a range of technological and natural solutions to climate change, to ensure that the UK creates more green jobs in Winchester and cuts emissions as part of the post-Covid economic recovery.
‘Net Zero Champions’ are a subset of the 100+ MPs and Peers in the Conservative Environment Network parliamentary caucus.
As a green homes champion, Steve will be campaigning for the government to:
- Provide a long-term funding commitment for green home upgrades, to help meet the government’s commitment for as many homes as possible to be EPC band C by 2035, and reduce people’s energy bills.
- Bring the ‘Future Homes Standard’ forward to 2024, so that all new homes are as sustainable as possible from that date, reducing the need for further retrofitting to meet our net zero emissions target;
- Enable local authorities to develop net zero energy plans to map out the best local solution for decarbonised heating and developing renewable energy.
Previous campaigns by CEN members have proved highly successful. In June 2019, CEN MPs were instrumental in convincing the UK Government to become the first major economy to set a legally binding target to reach net zero emissions by 2050. And more recently, CEN MPs have won commitments to protect 30% of land and seas by 2030 for nature’s recovery.
In their latest report to Parliament, the independent Climate Change Committee have identified areas where more action is needed to get the UK on track for net zero emissions. CEN’s Net Zero Champions are campaigning to fill these policy gaps ahead of the COP26 UN Climate Summit, which the UK is hosting in Glasgow in November. The government is expected to publish a comprehensive Net Zero Strategy ahead of COP26.
Steve Brine MP said: “I’m delighted to be working with the Conservative Environment Network on this great initiative, as part of my commitment to my constituents to champion action on climate change in Parliament.
“As the host of the Glasgow Climate Summit in November, the UK needs to be at the front of the pack globally in tackling carbon emissions and supporting the industries of the future.
“This Conservative Government has already taken some big steps forward on climate change, but we now have to go even further to get on track to our world-leading target of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and to ensure green businesses invest here in the UK rather than overseas. That’s why I’ll be campaigning inside Parliament for green homes that will cut emissions, while also creating green jobs across the UK.”
“Energy efficiency measures like insulation not only help lower our emissions but also our household bills. They also support skilled construction jobs as we recover from the pandemic and reduce the strain on the NHS by keeping people warmer in their own homes.
“I want us to make sure everyone has a warm home to live in, and I’m looking forward to working with the other green homes champions to propose more ideas on how we can modernise our housing stock.”
Sam Hall, Director of CEN, said: “We’re delighted that Steve is going to be a champion for green homes inside Parliament. Steve is a tireless advocate for green jobs and for ambitious climate action in Westminster and in Winchester.
“Tackling climate change is so important not only because it helps reduce the risks of flooding and heatwaves, but also because it will create jobs in the industries of the future, and make our towns and countryside more pleasant places to live with cleaner air and more access to nature.
“Our champions will be working together in Westminster to drive action on climate change and to propose new policies to ensure we hand on a greener world to the next generation.”
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