The United Kingdom will not use its withdrawal from the European Union as a pretext to lower environmental standards since the fight against climate change is prescribed by the country's laws, UK Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox said Wednesday
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th February, 2019) The United Kingdom will not use its withdrawal from the European Union as a pretext to lower environmental standards since the fight against climate change is prescribed by the country's laws, UK Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox said Wednesday.In October, the House of Lords' EU Energy and Environment sub-committee warned that the United Kingdom's biosecurity could be "seriously compromised" in the event of a chaotic or even no-deal exit from the European Union. Environmental groups then warned that without access to EU funding, and cooperation and regulatory mechanisms, the United Kingdom would have less capability in addressing climate-related issues.
"We are not and will not use Brexit as a means or an excuse in any way to lower environmental standards. The United Kingdom is legally committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent between 1990 and 2060 and it is part of our domestic law about the climate change, not the EU law," Fox said during his address to the International Petroleum Week conference in London.
Fox, in particular, admitted that renewable energy sources were "better" than fossil duels, but noted that gas played an important role in decarbonization as it burned nearly twice as efficiently as coal.
"Nor should we ignore the role that gas and oil industry has contributed to our society the sector is estimated to have directly employed 37,000 people across the UK last year ... The oil and gas industry has also played a vital and pressing role in developing low-carbon alternatives through investment in clean energy and its contribution in technology," Fox added.
The United Kingdom is set to leave the European Union on March 29. While London has managed to negotiate a withdrawal deal with Brussels after months of intense talks, the agreement has faced a wave of criticism in the United Kingdom and mounting calls for a second Brexit referendum, with the parliament so far refusing to endorse the deal due to the controversial provision on the Irish border backstop. On Sunday, UK Prime Minister Theresa May pushed back the parliament vote on Brexit, expected this week, to March 12.
