JERSEY “might as well give up now” on carbon emission reduction targets if measures are not taken to disincentivise the use of fossil fuels, the former Environment Minister has warned.
Deputy Jonathan Renouf is seeking to amend the government’s proposed Budget by cancelling the recent freezing of fuel duty by the end of next year.
This would “reaffirm” the Island’s commitment to tackling climate change, the St Brelade politician said.
The Budget, which is due to be debated later this month, set out spending plans for the next four years.
The Deputy said he was concerned that after the States Assembly voted 40-1 in favour of the declaration of a climate emergency in 2019, and supported Jersey’s Carbon Neutral Roadmap when they considered it in 2022, recent progress had been limited.
Having set up the Climate Emergency Fund in 2020, plans were agreed to increase fuel duty by an additional two pence above the rate of inflation every year, with the proceeds going to the fund. But duty has subsequently been frozen at nine pence per litre, with government estimates that this move has resulted in a “loss” to the fund of £2.44 million across 2023 and 2024.
In the report accompanying his amendment, Deputy Renouf stated: “If we are to shift the dial on road transport, we need a twin-track approach – disincentivise fossil fuel use and incentivise zero/low-carbon options.
“Increasing fuel duty achieves both and is also important to signal a clear direction of travel.
“In the run-up to the prospective ban on the registration of petrol/diesel vehicles in Jersey in five years’ time, we need to shift incentives decisively in favour of EVs and other low-carbon transport options.”
Gradually increasing the price of carbon-based fuels was an important part of this strategy, he added, sending a clear message about the long-term benefits and offering the chance for Jersey to become a “leader in decarbonisation”.
Deputy Renouf added: “Put another way, if we are not prepared to disincentivise the use of fossil fuel, then we might as well give up on our carbon reduction targets now.”
The report also notes that an initial temporary freeze introduced in the UK in 2011 was still in place, showing that the longer such a measure remained in place the harder it was to reverse.
Deputy Renouf concluded: “It is important that we take this opportunity to signal that as an Assembly we have not given up on our net-zero commitment and that we hand on to our successors a decent platform on which to build their net-zero policies.”
The amendment would commit ministers to annual 2p increases from 2026 onwards. Deputy Renouf estimated this would equate to between £10 and £20 for a driver covering 10,000 miles per year and using 700 litres of fuel.
