ISLANDERS submitting their views on how to achieve carbon neutrality could produce ‘real change’ at the next election, according to the heads of two environmental groups.
Jersey in Transition chairman Nigel Jones and Natural Jersey chairman Chris Perkins spoke following the publication of the government’s Draft Carbon Neutral Roadmap, which outlines the steps ministers intend to take to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Mr Perkins said the draft was a ‘step in the right direction’ and urged Islanders to submit their views about the plans, noting that the June election could act as a catalyst for their voices to be heard.
He said: ‘We have got an election coming up and people’s views could have quite a large effect. What would be good to see is as many people as possible taking part in the survey.’
Asked about the policies included in the plan, which includes incentives to scrap fossil-fuel cars in favour of electric alternatives, Mr Perkins said: ‘That is your carrot-and-stick approach. Very often with these things the cost to the environment is not included in the price, so you do need incentives. It is nice to be in a position [financially] to make environmental choices but not everybody is.’
A public consultation on the 130-page document is open until 31 January. After this, an updated Carbon Neutral Roadmap will be put before the States Assembly for debate in April.
Mr Jones said: ‘The climate and bio-diversity crisis is cross-party. Whether you are on the right or left, political parties should put aside their differences to take action. Having a say does have an impact, but the opportunity for real change could be wrapped up in the election. There has never been such momentum behind this and it will become an issue at the hustings and at the ballot box.’
Reacting to the Draft Carbon Neutral Roadmap, climate-change lobbyist Ollie Taylor said: ‘You don’t want to knock it because it is progress – it is just incredibly slow. Many countries are way ahead of us, so the government shouldn’t expect a pat on the back for taking these basic steps forward.
‘At the end of the day it comes down to how aggressive the States are going to be. There are still a lot of questions, such as how they are going to implement it, who is going to pay for it and how they are going to update our tax system to ensure fairness.’
He added: ‘We have had the surveys, we have had the questionnaires, the reports, a citizens’ assembly – it is time government started making some meaningful decisions because there are many to be made and we are running out of time.’
The consultation survey for the Draft Carbon Neutral Roadmap is available on the gov.je website, while paper copies are also available from parish halls and have been translated into Portuguese, Polish and Romanian.
