Green Party manifesto: 'The UK will be zero carbon by 2030'
19 November 2019, 14:16
The Green Party has launched its election manifesto with a pledge to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030.
The party says it will create a "new green deal" to tackle climate change, investing £100 billion per year until 2030.
The deal would mainly be paid for through borrowing.Within their manifesto, the party also pledged to increase NHS funding, hold a second Brexit referendum and give 16 and 17 year olds the vote.
Launching the manifesto at an event in London, co-leader Jonathan Bartley said it was the "most ambitious green deal anywhere in the world."
He continued: "This will put us back on track to decarbonise every single sector of the economy by 2030, while delivering social justice across Britain.
"Our very planet is raising the alarm. Hitting snooze for another 15 years is simply not an option."
THREAD: @TheGreenParty have proposed 10 bills for the first 2 years of the new Parliament.
— Catherine Rowett 💚 MEP (@catherinerowett) November 19, 2019
This 👇 is how we will deliver climate justice🌱, a people's vote 🇪🇺, and a transformation of our democracy 🙋♀️. #GE2019 https://t.co/tKsFu3P01v
The party will be standing in 498 out of 573 English and Welsh seats in the December election.
The party is not standing in 50 seats to make way for Liberal Democrat and Plaid Cymru MPs as part of the "Unite to Remain" pact.In the last parliament, Brighton MP Caroline Lucas was party's only MP to be elected.
However, in the European parliament they have seven MEPs.
Greens co-leader Sian Berry said the party would push for its policy programme to be implemented with 10 new pieces of legislation.
"Ten bills ready for the next Parliament to hit the ground running - because the future won't give us another chance to get these next two years right," she said.
"The more Green MPs we have, the more chance we have to save the future."
What is in the manifesto?
- £6 billion funding increase for the NHS until 2030
- 100,000 new zero carbon homes for social rent annually
- A second Brexit referendum
- The introduction of a universal basic income of at least £89 per week for every adult by 2025
- Proportional representation voting
- Votes for 16 and 17 year olds
- Ban the construction of nuclear power stations and fracking for gas and oil
- Carbon tax on energy and fossil fuel imports with the aim of making coal, oil and gas "financially unviable" within 10 years
