Andy Burnham: UK maun fuilie commit tae reachin net zero by 2050

The UK maun fuilie commit tae reachin net zero by 2050, Andy Burnham has argued in his strongest comments yet on the issue, sayin it is nae langer possible for Britons tae believe they are no already affectit by a changin climate.

Writin for the Guardian aboot new plans for a mass o community-led local green energy projects, the prime minister said the UK maun believe in itsel, an set oot his determination tae reach net zero targets, whilk hae been rejectit by the Conservatives an Reform UK.

The tone marks a contrast tae the simmer, when Burnham faced criticism for a seeminly mutit response tae the heatwaves, droughts an wildfires that affectit the UK, wi his main initiative bein a ban on portable barbecues.

I am determined that we meet the commitment on whilk Labour was electit an reach net zero by 2050, Burnham said. I want Britain tae believe in itsel again.

Sayin he wantit tae connect local communities tae green pouer projects – tae reach net zero targets an mak energy mair affordable – Burnham said: I am acutely aware that oor changin climate is a major concern for mony Britons, no least because we hae juist emergit frae oor hottest simmer on record.

He gaed on: Punishin heatwaves left nurses collapsin on hospital wards an bus drivers workin in 40C cabs. Wildfires destroyit hames, leavin families wi naething. An mair extreme weather is forecast in the months aheid.

The climate crisis is nae a distant threat. It is here an wi us noo. The Breetish fowk are nae langer insulatit frae the consequences, an they dinna want tae be excludit frae the solutions. They are lookin for weys tae dae their bit. Community energy gies them that chance.

The issue is aye a tricky ane for Burnham, wha is facin significant pressure frae baith sides owre whether tae appruve the Jackdaw gasfield an Rosebank oilfield in the North Sea.

A nummer o Labour MPs believe appruvin the projects wad send a negative signal on climate efforts, an wad provide a boost tae the Greens, wha argue that Labour is insufficiently serious in tacklin the climate emergency.

A seeminly imminent decision tae appruve Jackdaw has been delayit until later this autumn, promptin the Greens tae accuse Labour o wantin tae bury the issue afore the heich-profile Holborn an St Pancras byelection, whaur Zack Polanski, the leader o the Greens in England an Wales, is challengin for the seat vacatit by Keir Starmer.

Miatta Fahnbulleh, the energy secretary, had been poised tae gie her recommendation tae appruve the field aff the coast o Aberdeen, but it has been pit aff. Consultations on Jackdaw an Rosebank closed last month, wi Fahnbulleh syne considerin her response.

Appruvin either or baith projects wad place renewit pressure on Burnham owre his commitment tae net zero.

No 10 officials point oot that Burnham discussit the climate emergency in his first Commons statement as prime minister at the start o the month, an when he visitit Stourbridge in the West Midlands in August after fires there. But in August, a series o climate organisations accusit him o bein silent aboot the subject durin the heatwave.

In his Guardian article, Burnham tied net zero plans tae devolution, settin oot fundin for sae-cawed fowk's pouer projects, whaur communities will hae a stake in local green energy projects, sic as solar panels, windfarms an hydro schemes.

He wrote: Across Britain, fowk are takin back control o the things that matter tae them: their pubs, their libraries, their leisure centres. Some hae already dune the same wi energy. There are fine examples in England, Scotland, Wales an Northern Ireland o community energy schemes, whilk keep the lichts on, the local economy movin an the benefits close tae hame.

These projects wark an we want tae tak them nationwide. The climate crisis presents us wi an enormous challenge an possibility. In the comin years, we need tae change the wey we travel, the wey we build hames an the wey we produce energy. I hae lang seen the green transition as the best chance we will ever hae tae reindustrialise Britain.