Christian Aid’s response to Chancellor’s energy efficiency announcement

Responding to the speech by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, featuring measures to boost household insulation and energy efficiency, Christian Aid’s Head of UK Advocacy & Campaigns, Paul Brannen, said:

“Although the Chancellor did not mention the people of the global south directly in his speech the home insulation measures he set out to reduce energy waste in the UK will have a beneficial impact on people already bearing the brunt of climate breakdown overseas.

“The spread of Covid-19 has shown just how interconnected the world is and climate change is the ultimate example of this. Our economic choices in response to the pandemic will have consequences for people now facing the devastating impacts of droughts, storms and rising temperatures.

“If our economic response takes positive action for the climate, such as boosting energy efficiency and reducing emissions, it is potentially of huge benefit for rich and poor alike whether in the global north or the global south. But if we choose to base our economic stimulus on polluting activities like road building and fossil fuel company bailouts we would be restarting our economy on the backs of the climate vulnerable.”

Last week a Sevanta ComRes poll for Christian Aid found that only a quarter of Brits (26%) think that Black, Asian and Arab people are the most vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate change around the world.