Barnet Labour group says net zero debate saw opposition councillors “reveal themselves as climate change deniers” reports David Floyd

Barnet’s Labour group has accused the Conservative opposition of being “climate change deniers” following a heated discussion about the council’s net zero target.
During a full council meeting on Tuesday, the Labour administration recommitted to its carbon reduction pledges which would see the council become net zero by 2030 and the borough reach the target by 2042.
This recommitment came in response to recent announcements by prime minister Rishi Sunak on the UK government’s approach to net zero, which Barnet Labour described as “getting into a muddle” on the issue.
During Tuesday’s debate, several opposition Conservative councillors objected to Barnet Labour’s approach using language that the Labour group regards as climate change denial.
These included Edgware councillor Nick Mearing-Smith who said: “There is no evidence that extreme weather is being caused by climate change.”
And Barnet Vale councillor David Longstaff, deputy leader of the Conservative group, who said that climate change needed to be tackled only: “If scientists are right, which admittedly they have not been in the last fifty years.”
Cllr Alan Schneiderman, cabinet member for environment and climate change, said: “We said that the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, would encourage climate change denial by getting into a muddle on net zero.
“Sure enough, confusion from Mr Sunak was enough for some Barnet Conservatives to reveal themselves as climate change deniers.
“Even if the government are wobbly on our future and our children’s future, in Barnet we will be installing more electrical vehicle charging points, planting more trees and ensuring viable transport choices are available.
“Other measures include:
– retrofitting social housing to be more energy efficient.
– more air quality monitoring
– installing more electrical vehicle charging points as that is what residents want
– grants of up to £15,000 for community groups towards environmental initiatives.”
In response to the claims, Conservative group leader Cllr Dan Thomas said: ‘’In a democracy, everyone is entitled to express their own views and it is healthy for dominant viewpoints to be challenged. Far from climate denialism, Barnet’s Conservative group set the council on its current path to become net zero.
“At the council on Tuesday, we spoke on behalf of the residents who faced extra costs in trying to reach the net zero target during the cost of living crisis. We are opposed to Barnet Labour using climate as an excuse to punish drivers with extra costs.’’
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