full asset freeze on largest Russian bank and end to all new UK outward investment into Russia announced
UK to end all imports of Russian coal and oil by end of 2022 and take action against oligarchs and key strategic industries
Foreign Secretary will urge G7 colleagues to maintain the momentum on further waves of sanctions at meeting today
Following further reports of abhorrent attacks on civilians in Ukraine this week, the Foreign Secretary has announced a significant ratcheting up of UK sanctions on Russia.
As a leading voice calling for international action, the UK’s fifth package of measures will cut off key sectors of the Russian economy and end our dependency on Russian energy. Yesterday’s measures have been delivered in lockstep with our global allies as the EU has also banned imports of Russian coal and the US has sanctioned SberBank.
Announcing the package yesterday, the Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “Today, we are stepping up our campaign to bring Putin’s appalling war to an end with some of our toughest sanctions yet.
“Our latest wave of measures will bring an end to the UK’s imports of Russian energy and sanction yet more individuals and businesses, decimating Putin’s war machine.
“Together with our allies, we are showing the Russian elite that they cannot wash their hands of the atrocities committed on Putin’s orders. We will not rest until Ukraine prevails.”
Key sanctions announced today include:
asset freezes against Sberbank and Credit Bank of Moscow. Sberbank is Russia’s largest bank and this freeze is being taken in co-ordination with the US
an outright ban on all new outward investment to Russia. In 2020 UK investment in Russia was worth over £11 billion. This will be another major hit to the Russian economy and further limit their future capabilities
by the end of 2022, the UK will end all dependency on Russian coal and oil, and end imports of gas as soon as possible thereafter. From next week, the export of key oil refining equipment and catalysts will also be banned, degrading Russia’s ability to produce and export oil – targeting not only the industry’s finances but its capabilities as a whole
action against key Russian strategic industries and state owned enterprises. This includes a ban on imports of iron and steel products, a key source of revenue. Russia’s military ambitions are also being thwarted by new restrictions on its ability to acquire the UK’s world-renowned quantum and advanced material technologies
and targeting a further eight oligarchs active in these industries, which Putin uses to prop up his war economy
They include:
Viatcheslav (Moshe) Kantor, the largest shareholder of fertilizer company Acron with vital strategic significance for the Russian government
Andrey Guryev – known close associate of Vladimir Putin and founder of PhosAgro – a vital strategic company that produces fertilizers
Sergey Kogogin, director of Kamaz – manufacturer of trucks and buses, including for the Russian military
Sergey Sergeyevich Ivanov, President of the world’s largest diamond producer Alrosa, which the UK also sanctioned
Leonid Mikhelson, the founder, and CEO of leading Russian natural gas producer Novatek, with a net worth of £18billion
Andrey Akimov, the CEO of Russia’s third largest bank Gazprombank
Aleksander Dyukov, the CEO of Russia’s third largest and majority state-owned oil producer GazpromNeft
Boris Borisovich Rotenberg, son of the co-owner of Russia’s largest gas pipeline producer SGM. The Rotenberg family are known for their close connections to Putin and a number of them have already been sanctioned
At today’s meeting of G7 Foreign Ministers the Foreign Secretary will call for further collective action, including an accelerated timetable for all G7 countries to end their dependency on Russian energy.
She will also call for continued G7 unity in imposing further co-ordinated waves of sanctions against the Russian economy and elites around Putin, until Russia withdraws its troops and ends its brutal campaign of aggression against Ukraine once and for all.
Cleaner and more affordable energy to be made in Great Britain under bold plans to boost long-term energy independence, security and prosperity
The Prime Minister’s plan boosts Britain’s energy security following rising global energy prices and volatility in international markets
bold new commitments to supercharge clean energy and accelerate deployment, which could see 95% of Great Britain’s electricity set to be low carbon by 2030
ambitious, quicker expansion of nuclear, wind, solar, hydrogen, oil and gas, including delivering the equivalent to one nuclear reactor a year instead of one a decade
over 40,000 more jobs in clean industries to be supported thanks to measures, totalling 480,000 jobs by 2030
Cleaner and more affordable energy to be made in Great Britain under bold plans to boost long-term energy independence, security and prosperity.
The UK government’s British Energy Security Strategy sets out how Great Britain will accelerate the deployment of wind, new nuclear, solar and hydrogen, whilst supporting the production of domestic oil and gas in the nearer term – which could see 95% of electricity by 2030 being low carbon.
The strategy will see a significant acceleration of nuclear, with an ambition of up to 24GW by 2050 to come from this safe, clean, and reliable source of power. This would represent up to around 25% of our projected electricity demand. Subject to technology readiness from industry, Small Modular Reactors will form a key part of the nuclear project pipeline.
A new government body, Great British Nuclear, will be set up immediately to bring forward new projects, backed by substantial funding, and the government will launch the £120 million Future Nuclear Enabling Fund this month.
They will work to progress a series of projects as soon as possible this decade, including Wylfa site in Anglesey. This could mean delivering up to eight reactors, equivalent to one reactor a year instead of one a decade, accelerating nuclear in Britain.
The Westminster government’s plans also include:
Offshore wind: A new ambition of up to 50GW by 2030 – more than enough to power every home in the UK – of which we would like to see up to 5GW from floating offshore wind in deeper seas. This will be underpinned by new planning reforms to cut the approval times for new offshore wind farms from 4 years to 1 year and an overall streamlining which will radically reduce the time it takes for new projects to reach construction stages while improving the environment.
Oil and gas: A licensing round for new North Sea oil and gas projects planned to launch in Autumn, with a new taskforce providing bespoke support to new developments – recognising the importance of these fuels to the transition and to our energy security, and that producing gas in the UK has a lower carbon footprint than imported from abroad.
Onshore wind: We will be consulting on developing partnerships with a limited number of supportive communities who wish to host new onshore wind infrastructure in return for guaranteed lower energy bills.
Heat pump manufacturing: We will run a Heat Pump Investment Accelerator Competition in 2022 worth up to £30 million to make British heat pumps, which reduce demand for gas.
They will also look to increase the UK’s current 14GW of solar capacity which could grow up to 5 times by 2035, consulting on the rules for solar projects, particularly on domestic and commercial rooftops.
The goovernment will aim to double the ambition to up to 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030, with at least half coming from green hydrogen and utilising excess offshore wind power to bring down costs.
This will not only provide cleaner energy for vital British industries to move away from expensive fossil fuels, but could also be used for cleaner power, transport and potentially heat.
The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said: “We’re setting out bold plans to scale up and accelerate affordable, clean and secure energy made in Britain, for Britain – from new nuclear to offshore wind – in the decade ahead.
“This will reduce our dependence on power sources exposed to volatile international prices we cannot control, so we can enjoy greater energy self-sufficiency with cheaper bills.”
This plan comes in light of rising global energy prices, provoked by surging demand after the pandemic as well as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This will be central to weaning Britain off expensive fossil fuels, which are subject to volatile gas prices set by international markets we are unable to control, and boosting our diverse sources of homegrown energy for greater energy security in the long-term.
Consumer bills will be lower this decade than they otherwise would be as a result of the measures this government has taken.
The British Energy Security Strategy will also increase the number of clean jobs in the UK by supporting; 90,000 jobs in offshore wind by 2028 – 30,000 more than previously expected; 10,000 jobs in solar power by 2028 – almost double our previous expectations; and 12,000 jobs in the UK hydrogen industry by 2030 – 3,000 more than previously expected.
In total, the British Energy Security Strategy builds on the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, and, together with the Net Zero Strategy, is driving an unprecedented £100 billion of private sector investment into new British industries including Offshore Wind and supporting 480,000 new clean jobs by the end of the decade.
Business and Energy Secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, said: “We have seen record high gas prices around the world. We need to protect ourselves from price spikes in the future by accelerating our move towards cleaner, cheaper, home-grown energy.
“The simple truth is that the more cheap, clean power we generate within our borders, the less exposed we will be to eye watering fossil fuel prices set by global markets we can’t control.
“Scaling up cheap renewables and new nuclear, while maximising North Sea production, is the best and only way to ensure our energy independence over the coming years.”
The strategy follows a series of engagement by the Prime Minister and ministers across government with key industry leaders, including from the oil and gas, wind and nuclear sectors. The government continue to work with industry in the coming weeks to drive forward these commitments as fast as industry can deliver.
Astonishing lack of action on energy efficiency will leave people freezing, desperate and out of pocket next winter, say FoE
Commenting on the government’s Energy Security Strategy, Friends of the Earth energy campaigner, Danny Gross, said: “Households are facing soaring bills and need help right now. The quickest way the government can do this is through renewables and funding a council-led, street-by-street free insulation programme.
“By targeting those most in need first we can make sure fewer people face dire circumstances next winter when the cold weather bites. Instead, the astonishing lack of action on energy efficiency will leave people freezing, desperate and out of pocket next winter.
“This fails as a strategy, as it does not do the most obvious things that would reduce energy demand and protect households from price hikes.
“Delving deeper into the UK’s treasure trove of renewables is the surest path to meeting our energy needs – not the fool’s gold of fossil fuels.
“The acceleration in developing offshore wind is certainly welcome, but Ministers must go further and make the most of the UK’s massive onshore wind resources. Wind turbines are fast to build, popular with the public and could provide cash-strapped households with huge quantities of cheap renewable power.
“Nuclear power is not the solution either. New nuclear power stations would take well over a decade to build and they’re expensive, hazardous and produce waste that will remain highly radioactive for thousands of years.
“We have been here before, with eight nuclear sites announced in 2010. Over a decade on, the only one under construction is seriously behind schedule and over budget, with a price far above current renewables.
“Other countries have taken much bolder action to meet the scale of the challenge. Britain can – and must – raise its ambition, to ensure everyone has access to clean, affordable energy.”
Plans to dismantle the Human Rights Act and create legal hurdles for ordinary people who seek to hold public bodies to account are abhorrent.
The bereaved parents of soldiers who died in ‘Snatch’ Land Rovers in Iraq and Afghanistan sued the Ministry of Defence under the Human Rights Act. Their children were sent to war in lightly armoured vehicles which were known not to offer enough protection against roadside bombs.
The Government suggests that cases brought under the Human Rights Act are often trivial and without merit.
What happened to those families was not trivial and their cases were found to be valid. If they had not fought for justice, the MoD’s failings would simply have been allowed to happen without any accountability.
Human rights claims play an essential role in keeping organisations in check and ensuring justice where those human rights are breached. We should all be alarmed by the Government’s approach.
Neil McKinley
President, Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)
Tax cut worth up to £1,000 for eligible businesses announced by the Chancellor at the Spring Statement takes effect today
Increase in Employment Allowance from £4,000 to £5,000 benefits around 495,000 businesses – 30% of all UK firms
Takes the total number of firms not paying the Health and Social Care Levy to 670,000
Nearly half a million UK businesses will benefit from a tax cut worth up to £1,000 from today (6 April 2022).
The Employment Allowance has risen from £4,000 to £5,000 – meaning smaller firms will be able to claim up to £5,000 off their employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) bills.
Announced by the Chancellor at last month’s Spring Statement to reduce employment costs, the change takes an extra 50,000 firms out of paying NICs and the Health and Social Care Levy. This increases the total number of businesses not paying NICs and the Levy to 670,000.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “This tax cut for half a million businesses will help them thrive and grow to help drive our economic recovery.
“It comes on top of a suite of wider tax cuts available to firms, including 50% business rates relief, a record fuel duty cut and the super-deduction, the largest two-year business tax cut in our history.”
This is the third time the government has increased the Employment Allowance since its introduction in 2014, demonstrating an enduring commitment to supporting smaller businesses. Firms will be able to employ four full-time workers on the National Living Wage without paying employer NICs at all.
94% of businesses benefitting from the £1,000 increase are small and micro businesses, and the sectors that will see the highest numbers of employers benefitting are the wholesale and retail sector (87,000); the professional, scientific and technical activities industry (63,000); and the construction sector (52,000).
Today’s Employment Allowance change is one of a number of measures on offer to spur business growth, including that:
Last week eligible high street businesses saw the start of a new 50% business rates relief worth almost £1.7 billion, subject to a £110,000 cash cap per business.
Businesses across the board are also benefitting from a freeze to the business rates multiplier, putting the brakes on bill increases and worth £4.6 billion over the next five years.
Businesses are already benefitting from our temporary twelve-month-long 5p cut to fuel duty.
Companies have one year left to make investments that benefit from the super-deduction, the largest two-year business tax cut in modern British history.
Our landmark Help to Grow programmes are supporting SMEs to adopt productivity enhancing software and to get mini-MBAs.
We will ensure that our tax regime for innovation is globally competitive and properly incentivises higher business investment in R&D, with further plans to be set out in the Autumn.
Michelle Ovens CBE, founder, Small Business Britain, said: “The Chancellor’s move to increase the employment allowance is welcome, and will certainty play a role in helping those businesses with employees deal with the huge cost-of-living challenges they are currently facing.
“In particular, it is good to see the immediacy of this rise in employment allowance, which will go towards helping businesses asap.”
Martin McTague, National Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: ““The increase in the Employment Allowance helps small firms do what they do best, creating and sustaining jobs.
“This was FSB’s ‘hero ask’ at the Spring Statement, and we have hugely valued the time taken by Treasury officials to work with us on the positive impact this will have not just on work opportunities, but also training and investment.
“The Chancellor has now raised the Allowance twice since his appointment, stepping up for small businesses.”
Lee Harris-Hamer, from White Horse cleaning services based in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, said: “As a growing company, we appreciate the opportunity to reduce our annual NI liability because this helps us to invest the savings in other areas like staff training and further growth.
“Staff are our key asset and we want to be able to continue recruiting and offering more employment opportunities locally. Government has supported us with the change and we are proud to be members of FSB who championed the increase.”
Jo Bevilacqua, owner of Serenity Loves hair and beauty salon, Peterborough: “This rise in the employment allowance offers welcome breathing space for my small business and others like us across the country.
“In an age where we are all facing increasing costs from all angles and every penny counts, this will help ease some pressure, allowing us to invest more in staff – whether it is increasing salaries or offering training.”
A fleet of NHS ambulances will provide urgent care for those injured by Russian attacks in Ukraine following a donation from the UK.
UK NHS trusts donating around 20 ambulances to the Government of Ukraine
donations will help replace Ukrainian ambulances lost to Russian bombardments and provide urgent care to injured
Ukraine’s health services stretched as Russian attacks hit civilian shelters and hospitals
The donation of around 20 NHS ambulances will help bring vital lifesaving care to Ukrainians remaining in towns and cities under attack from Russian bombardments.
This donation will help replace those Ukrainian ambulances lost to Russian attacks, bolstering the existing fleet’s resilience as the barbaric war goes on.
It is estimated more than 12 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance across Ukraine.
The conflict has stretched Ukraine’s health services, with Russia’s indiscriminate attacks targeting civilian shelters and even hospitals.
South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) is leading the way, donating four of its ambulances, with further donations from NHS trusts across the country soon to follow.
The first ambulances will arrive in Ukraine this week, destined for Lviv in the west of the country, where they will be transported on to those areas most in need.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “We have sadly seen day after day the horrific impacts of Putin’s cruel war on the people of Ukraine, including evidence of appalling acts by Russian troops in towns such as Irpin and Bucha.
“The UK has been among the biggest aid donors, providing food, medicines and generators to help those affected. These world class NHS ambulances will now help bring lifesaving care directly to those injured in the conflict.”
Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: “The UK government has stood shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine and provided them with the lifesaving medical equipment they need.
“The invasion has damaged key medical infrastructure and the generous donation of four ambulances by South Central Ambulance Service will ensure people in Ukraine can receive urgent care. It marks the first of many ambulances the UK government and the NHS is donating to Ukraine in the coming days.”
Paul Kempster, SCAS Chief Operating Officer said: “Ambulance Trusts around the country have been rallying to provide ambulances and we in SCAS are immensely humbled to also be able to support those in need in Ukraine.
“We hope that this small gesture goes some way to helping provide immediate frontline healthcare support to the many people who desperately need it.”
This latest funding and donation comes in addition to the nearly £400 million (£394 million) already pledged by the UK for the conflict in Ukraine, including £220 million of humanitarian aid.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss gave a speech at the British Embassy in Poland about stepping up our efforts to stop Putin’s appalling war in Ukraine
Welcome to the British Embassy in Warsaw. It’s good to have the opportunity to hear from my friend and colleague Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister at what is an extremely difficult time.
What we have seen on the streets of Irpin and Bucha are scenes that we will never forget. We have seen butchery, evidence of rape and sexual violence as well as the indiscriminate killing of civilians.
We will ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice for these barbaric crimes. And together with our allies we will step up our efforts to stop Putin’s appalling war.
The UK military and police are providing technical assistance to the investigations. And the Metropolitan Police War Crimes unit have commenced the collection of evidence. We are working very closely with the Ukrainian government on this.
We have appointed former ICC judge Sir Howard Morrison as an independent adviser to the Ukrainian prosecutor general.
And today, I can announce that we are launching a £10 million civil society fund to support organisations in Ukraine, including those helping the victims of conflict-related sexual violence.
We will not rest until these criminals have been brought to justice.
We are clear that after these appalling crimes Russia has no place on the Human Rights Council.
And it is the responsibility of the UK and our allies – and that is what Dymtro and I discussed today – to step up our support for our brave Ukrainian friends. That means more weapons and more sanctions. Putin must lose in Ukraine.
Later this week, the G7 Foreign Ministers and the NATO Foreign Ministers will meet.We need to announce a tough new wave of sanctions.
The reality is that money is still flowing from the West into Putin’s war machine, and that has to stop.
In Brussels, I’ll be working with our partners to go further as has been advocated by Dmytro in banning Russian ships from our ports, in cracking down on Russian banks, in going after new industries filling Putin’s war chest like gold, and agreeing a clear timetable to eliminate our imports of Russian oil, gas and coal.
We also need even more weapons of the type the Ukrainians are asking for.
The UK is supplying more including next-generation light anti-tank weapons, Javelin Missiles and Starstreak anti-aircraft systems. And last week, we hosted a donor conference with our allies to secure more.
The fact is that being tough is the only approach that will work. Putin has escalated this war.
And this approach is vital to ensuring he loses in Ukraine, and that we see a full withdrawal of Russian troops and Ukraine’s hand is strengthened at the negotiating table.
There should be no talk of removing sanctions whilst Putin’s troops are in Ukraine and the threat of Russian aggression looms over Europe.
We need to see Putin withdraw his troops. We need to see Ukraine’s full territorial integrity restored. We need to see Russia’s ability for further aggression stopped. We need a plan to rebuild Ukraine. And we need to see justice done at the International Criminal Court.
Dmytro – we salute your bravery and the bravery of the Ukrainian people.
We are determined to help in whatever way we can. We will back you unwaveringly in your negotiations.
And together, we will not rest until Putin fails and Ukraine prevails.
Scotland: Strengthening sanctions on Russia
Public bodies in Scotland are being given advice on how to handle contract bids from companies linked to Russia.
To help strengthen economic sanctions imposed on Russia following the illegal invasion of Ukraine, guidance has been published on how to reject bids to procure a contract for goods or services from firms which are established in Russia and Belarus. This also applies to companies with substantial business operations in Russia, as well as those under the control of a person with links to the Russian regime.
Business Minister Ivan McKee said: “The Scottish Government has been clear since the beginning of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, that the business community has a moral responsibility to take economic action by reviewing operations for links and connections to Russia – and severing them where it is possible to do so.
“While it is up to the contracting authority as decision-maker to make an informed, rounded, case-specific assessment, this guidance will ensure public bodies can exclude companies from new contracts, or terminate existing ones, if the bidder has connections to the Russian regime.”
The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report published yesterday (Monday 4 April) shows growth in global emissions has slowed over the past decade, but much more needs to be done, including halving global emissions by 2030, to keep the goal of 1.5C in reach and avoid the worst impacts of global warming.
The window to keep 1.5C in reach is closing fast
Global growth in emissions slowed in last decade but further urgent action vital
UK COP Presidency calls on countries to deliver on the historic Glasgow Climate Pact agreed at COP26
The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report published yesterday shows growth in global emissions has slowed over the past decade, but much more needs to be done, including halving global emissions by 2030, to keep the goal of 1.5C in reach and avoid the worst impacts of global warming.
The IPCC’s independent report highlights the need for urgent action in decarbonising energy, industry, transport and making homes more energy efficient, to achieve the Paris Agreement’s central goal of keeping a global temperature rise this century to well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5C.
The report also shows reasons for optimism with a trend showing a slowing growth of global emissions. It also details how economic growth can be achieved alongside ambitious emissions reductions and the falling costs of renewables. Since 2010, solar energy costs and lithium-ion battery costs have decreased by around 85%, and wind energy by around 55%.
The UK is calling on countries to deliver on the Glasgow Climate Pact, in which 197 countries agreed to revisit and strengthen their 2030 emissions reduction commitments (Nationally Determined Contributions) as necessary this year to align with the Paris Agreement temperature goal and thereby limit the worst impacts of climate change.
Governments from around the world have spent a fortnight at a UK-hosted session examining climate scientists’ evidence for this report. The IPCC has concluded that to limit warming to 1.5C, global emissions must peak before 2025, and then be halved by early 2030s – in part by ending the world’s reliance on fossil fuels, including reducing use of unabated coal by three quarters by 2030.
COP26 President Alok Sharma, said: “This report makes clear that the window to keep 1.5 degrees alive is closing alarmingly fast. The warning lights are yet again flashing bright red on the climate dashboard and it is high time for governments to sit up and act before it is too late.
“That is why it is absolutely vital that as agreed in the Glasgow Climate Pact all countries, especially the G20 nations which are responsible for 80 per cent of global emissions, revisit and strengthen their 2030 emission reduction targets this year as necessary to align with the Paris temperature goal if we are to avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change.
“But this report also gives hope that the rate of growth in emissions is slowing and that thanks to the falling cost of renewables and technological innovation it is possible to transition to a cleaner future.
“We know that a net zero economy presents huge opportunities for growth and the creation of good green jobs and so countries and companies need to accelerate that transition.
“The UK has already committed to reducing carbon emissions by 68% by 2030 and by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, before reaching net zero by 2050 as set out in the UK’s comprehensive Net-Zero Strategy. It is calling on the global community to honour the commitment to provide at least $100bn a year to support developing countries take ambitious climate action.”
UK Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, Greg Hands, said: “Today’s report is a reminder to the world of the grave threat of climate change.
“There is still a window of opportunity to act to reduce the effects.
“The UK is going further and faster to generate more cheap and clean renewable power. This will reduce our exposure to expensive global gas prices.
“We call on the global community to seize the moment and join us in stepping up a green transition.”
The IPCC’s last report, published in February, warned that some of the impacts of global warming are “irreversible”, with more than 40% of the world’s population now highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events like floods and heatwaves.
Today’s report also highlights the economic opportunities from the transition to a net zero economy, with the falling costs of renewable energy, and comes six months after the UK published a comprehensive Net Zero Strategy.
This sets out how it will secure 440,000 well-paid jobs and unlock £90 billion in investment by 2030, by helping British businesses and consumers transition to clean energy and green technology. It included £1 billion investment in electric vehicles, £3.9 billion for insulating our homes, along with support for commercialising sustainable aviation fuel and help heavy industry move to hydrogen power.
This month the UK is starting to spend its £200 million pledged to support developing countries cut emissions through the new extension of the Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (PACT) programme.
The UK will also soon publish a new International Climate Finance (ICF) Strategy, laying out its delivery plan for £11.6 billion of investment to help countries across the globe respond to the climate emergency. The funding represents a doubling of support for communities worst affected by global warming.
Friends of the Earth: IPCC Climate Report shows ‘economic system is incompatible with life on Earth’
Environmental campaigners have said that the latest UN climate report makes clear that Governments must say no to new fossil fuels and tackle an economic system that is speeding us towards climate breakdown.
The IPCC’s latest report looks at ways to mitigate climate change and follows reports on the physical science in August 2021 and on the impacts of a changing climate that was presented last month. These reports help shape Government climate action around the world.
The report presents various models of future mitigation scenarios or ‘pathways’, for reducing emissions. These models are limited in that they are shaped by a variety of economic assumptions including continuous economic growth, and are therefore hotly debated politically choices about how to act.
Many of the models presented assume that we can allow global heating to rise beyond 1.5°C – known as overshooting – and then bring the temperature back down using as yet unproven technologies at some point in the future.
The IPCC’s last reporting cycle was 8 years ago, in which time the remaining carbon budget for holding warming to the critical 1.5°C has significantly diminished.
Friends of the Earth Scotland Head of Campaigns Mary Church said: “Today’s UN report is another stark warning that the likelihood of avoiding 1.5°C is shrinking fast.
“Deep emissions cuts are needed now, and the message at the heart of this latest study is that we must say no to all new oil and gas, put an end to fossil fuel subsidies and urgently start delivering a just transition for impacted communities.
“In assuming varying degrees of overshooting the critical 1.5°C threshold, the pathways set out in this report are simply untenable and show the political battles that are being fought around how to act on the science.
“Only last month we saw the previous UN report warning that the impacts of climate breakdown are happening sooner and are more devastating than previously thought, and of the irreversible impacts of going beyond 1.5°C.
“Yet corporations who are profiting from this catastrophe are pushing dangerous and speculative techno-fixes, that would gamble with life on earth for the sake of squeezing out every last drop of oil, and we are seeing their influence in the pathways set out.
“What’s crystal clear is that this crisis is being driven by over-consumption by the rich, particularly in the global north. Despite the bleak findings of today’s report, hope remains because the science also shows that another world, with decent standards of living for all, is possible within the remaining carbon budget.
“But only if we rapidly phase out fossil fuels, and wealthy countries responsible for driving the climate to the brink step up to the plate and start doing their fair share of action.”
Hemantha Withanage, Chair of Friends of the Earth International, based in Sri Lanka, said: “We cannot betray the promise of a 1.5°C degree warming threshold. If the IPCC’s WG3 report does not contain any mitigation pathways that keep us from breaching 1.5°C degrees within the constraints of the current economic paradigm, that is only proof that this economic system is incompatible with life on Earth.
“The priority for our communities, movements, and decision-makers must now be to end the era of fossil fuels and transform our societies and economies towards sustainable systems designed to address peoples’ needs, safety and wellbeing, not profit and greed.”
Senior Westminster politiicians spoke out over Russian acts of atrocity yesterday:
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Russia’s despicable attacks against innocent civilians in Irpin and Bucha are yet more evidence that Putin and his army are committing war crimes in Ukraine.
“No denial or disinformation from the Kremlin can hide what we all know to be the truth – Putin is desperate, his invasion is failing, and Ukraine’s resolve has never been stronger.
“I will do everything in my power to starve Putin’s war machine. We are stepping up our sanctions and military support, as well as bolstering our humanitarian support package to help those in need on the ground.
“The UK has been at the forefront of supporting the International Criminal Court’s investigation into atrocities committed in Ukraine, and the Justice Secretary has authorised additional financial support and the deployment of specialist investigators – we will not rest until justice is served.”
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss also commented on appalling acts by Russian invading forces in towns such as Irpin and Bucha.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “As Russian troops are forced into retreat, we are seeing increasing evidence of appalling acts by the invading forces in towns such as Irpin and Bucha.
“Their indiscriminate attacks against innocent civilians during Russia’s illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine must be investigated as war crimes.
“We will not allow Russia to cover up their involvement in these atrocities through cynical disinformation and will ensure that the reality of Russia’s actions are brought to light.
“The UK will fully support any investigations by the International Criminal Court, in its role as the primary institution with the mandate to investigate and prosecute war crimes. The UK-led effort to expedite and support an International Criminal Court investigation into crimes in Ukraine was the largest State referral in its history.
“We will not rest until those responsible for atrocities, including military commanders and individuals in the Putin regime, have faced justice.
“At this time, more than ever, it is essential that the international community continues to provide Ukraine with the humanitarian and military support it so dearly needs, and that we step up sanctions to cut off funding for Putin’s war machine at source.”
Bill to deliver £330 national insurance contributions cut announced by the Chancellor at the Spring Statement gets Royal Assent
Change means threshold at which individuals start to pay NICs will rise by almost £3,000 and align with the income tax personal allowance from July
70% of workers who pay NICs will pay less, even after accounting for the introduction of the Health and Social Care Levy
The UK government’s measures to tackle the cost-of-living crisis reached a key milestone this week, after a bill to raise NICS thresholds by almost £3,000 and deliver a tax cut worth over £330 for a typical employee in the year from July became law.
The National Insurance Contributions (Increase of Thresholds) Act, which received Royal Assent on Thursday, raises the threshold at which individuals start to pay NICs, aligning it with the income tax personal allowance at £12,570 from July 2022.
Around 2.2m working age people will be taken out of paying Class 1 NICs, applying to employees, and Class 4 NICs, for the self-employed, altogether. From July, around 70% of workers who pay NICs will be better off, even accounting for the introduction of the Health and Social Care Levy.
At the Spring Statement the Chancellor set out a tax plan that will help families with the cost of living, support growth in the economy, and ensure the proceeds of growth are shared fairly. As well as the NICs threshold rise it included a 12-month-long 5p cut to fuel duty and a cut in the basic rate of income tax, to 19p in the pound, taking effect in 2024.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “I know people are worried about making ends meet, with global supply chain challenges and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine driving up the cost of living for families across the UK.
“That’s why this tax cut for almost 30 million people is so important. And it’s part of further support worth over £22 billion in 2022-23 to help with the cost of living, by helping people with their energy bills and ensuring people keep more of their money.”
Thanks to above inflation increases in the income tax personal allowance and the NICs Primary Threshold since 2010-11, a typical basic rate taxpayer earning £24,000 in 2022-23 will pay £1,140 less in income tax and NICs than they otherwise would have, even after accounting for the Health and Social Care Levy.
That comprises £760 less income tax and around £380 less NICs in 2022-23 compared to what they otherwise would have paid.
The July threshold rise is a tax cut for a typical employee worth over £330 in the year from July 2022; the equivalent saving for a typical self-employed person, who pay lower NICs rates, would be worth over £250.
The UK Government has taken action worth over £22 billion next financial year to help with the cost of living including the fuel duty cut, increases to the NICs thresholds and an extra £500 million for the Household Support Fund to help those most in need.
They say they’re also helping low-income families keep more of what they earn by reducing the Universal Credit taper rate, boosting incomes by £1000 per average full time worker by increasing the National Living Wage and providing over £9 billion to help with rising energy bills.
Around 2.5 million UK workers will receive a pay rise, as the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage increase today
£1,000 a year pay rise for full time workers following the largest ever uplift to the National Living Wage for workers aged 23 and over.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng: “While no government can control the global factors pushing up the cost of everyday essentials, we will absolutely act wherever we can to mitigate rising costs.”
Millions of UK workers will receive a pay rise from today (Friday 1 April), as the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rise comes into effect.
The uplift in wages, which will benefit around 2.5 million people, includes the largest ever increase to the National Living Wage. It will put £1,000 a year more into full-time workers’ pay packets, helping to ease cost of living pressures.
With today’s rise, the yearly earnings of a full-time worker on the National Living Wage will have increased by over £5,000 since the introduction of the National Living Wage by the Government in April 2016.
As a direct result of government action, the current number of employees on the payroll is over 600,000 more than pre-pandemic levels – and unemployment has fallen to 3.9%.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said:“We have never been more determined to make work pay, and by providing the biggest cash increase ever to the National Living Wage from today, we are giving a boost to millions of UK workers.
“While no government can control the global factors pushing up the cost of everyday essentials, we will absolutely act wherever we can to mitigate rising costs.
“With more employees on the payroll than ever before, this government will continue to stand up for workers.”
Today’s uplift will particularly benefit workers in sectors such as retail, hospitality and cleaning and maintenance. Apprentices will also get a large 11.9% increase to their minimum hourly pay, with 21-22 year-olds seeing an immediate 9.8% rise. The National Living Wage, the minimum wage for over 23-year-olds, will now move up to £9.50 an hour.
Last year, the age threshold for the rate moved from age 25 to 23, meaning that more young workers are now eligible for a higher wage.
The new National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates are both statutory minimums, and businesses are encouraged to pay workers above these whenever they can afford to do so.
Recent studies show significant benefits for employers who pay their staff higher wages, which includes higher job retention and staff productivity.
In full, the increases from 1 April 2022 are:
With the rates going up from today, workers across the UK are being urged to check they are being paid properly. This can be done by visiting the Check Your Pay site, which also offers advice on what to do if you are being underpaid.
The Government also today announced it will be launching a communications campaign in the coming weeks to help increase understanding among minimum and living wage earners around the wages they are legally entitled to, as well as the steps they can take if they are concerned they are being underpaid.
Record increases in global gas prices this year saw the Energy Price Cap, set by the independent regulator Ofgem, rise by 54%. While a worrying time for households, the price cap continues to insulate millions of households from high wholesale gas prices.
Today’s uplift comes alongside further government measures worth over £9.1 billion to support people across the UK with rising energy bills, with the majority of households receiving £350 in total. This will help over 28 million households affected by the large spike in global energy prices, protecting them from half of the average forecast bill rise.
The package includes a £150 rebate in Council Tax bills for all households in Bands A-D in England – 80% of households – with payments being made from today (1 April 2022), and a £200 reduction in energy bills for all households from October 2022 through the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
This contributes to wider government support to ease cost of living pressures worth £22billion next financial year as well as government plans to drive £6 billion into making homes more energy efficient over the next ten years, which is vital to keeping household energy costs down.
The government is also announcing further help for low-income households to meet energy costs with the publication of consultation responses on the extension of the Warm Homes Discount and Energy Company Obligation schemes.
The Warm Homes Discount scheme is being extended until 2025/26 and expanded to reduce the energy costs of around £3 million low-income and vulnerable households every year, while the Energy Company Obligation scheme will see £1 billion annual funding until 2026 to help upgrade energy efficiency measures in 450,000 homes, cutting an average of £300 off energy bills.
Going even further to ease the cost of living, last week as part of the Spring Statement, the Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a new Tax Plan, including cuts to fuel duty by 5p per litre, and that energy efficiency measures can be installed in homes VAT free for the first time ever.
The Chancellor Rishi Sunak said:“This historic increase will mean a pay rise for millions of hard-working Brits – with an average full-time worker pocketing an extra £1,000 a year.
“We’re doing everything we can to ensure people keep more of what they earn in these challenging times, with a new Tax Plan that delivers tax cuts for nearly 30 million people as well as £22billion to help with the cost of living.”
Bryan Sanderson Chair of the Low Pay Commission (LPC) said:“The Business Secretary’s strong support is especially welcome at this difficult time. Workers on the minimum wage; care for our elderly and sick, harvest and deliver our food, and do a multitude of other tasks which help us all.
“Many public sector workers including for example teaching assistants will also shortly be included. They all deserve to be properly remunerated and respected as key members of our society.
“The Low Pay Commission met with around a hundred representative bodies last year before making its recommendations. We are frequently their main sometimes even their only advocates. With government support we will continue to try to ensure that they do not suffer from the neglect which was so often characteristic of the past.”
