E3G, on behalf of 60 leaders across academia, NGOs, and think tanks, sent a letter to the UK Prime Minister calling for the publication of the UK green taxonomy consultation, and emphasizing the importance of keeping natural gas incompatible with a 1.5℃ degree pathway.
The UK Green Taxonomy is crucial for mobilising investment towards net zero activities needed to transition the UK away from fossil fuel dependence.
Signatories were alarmed to see recent media reports suggesting the possibility of the inclusion of natural gas production as a ‘green’ economic activity within the UK green taxonomy and urge the government to keep natural gas out of the taxonomy. Labelling natural gas as ‘green’ is not compatible with a 1.5-degree pathway and would send damaging signals to the market and investors; reverting much of the UK’s progress to align the financial sector with net zero.
Signatories also urged the government to publish the taxonomy consultation, which had been due in the spring, and to maintain a science-based approach to defining ‘green’.
The letter is signed by:
Shane Tomlinson, Acting CEO, E3G
Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director, Age UK
Kevin Anderson, Professor of Energy and Climate Change, Tyndall Centre – University of Manchester
Jamie Audsley, Head of Future Nature, RSPB
Dr Elizabeth Baldwin, Associate Professor of Economics, University of Oxford
John Barry, Professor of Green Political Economy & Co-Director of the Centre for Sustainability, Equality and Climate Action, Queen’s University Belfast
Polly Billington, CEO, UK100
Fran Boait, Executive Director, Positive Money
Dr. Jean Boucher, School of Law and Government, Dublin City University
Dr. Christian Brand, Associate Professor in Transport, Energy & Environment, University of Oxford
Dr. Matthew Brander, Senior Lecturer in Carbon Accounting, University of Edinburgh
Oliver Broad, Senior Research Fellow, Energy Systems Analysis, University College London
Tony Burdon, CEO, Make My Money Matter
Dr Isabela Butnar, Senior Research Fellow in Bioenergy Systems, University College London
Dr Ben Caldecott, Director, UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment (UK CGFI) and Director, Oxford Sustainable Finance Group and the Lombard Odier Associate Professor of Sustainable Finance, University of Oxford
David Cowdrey, External Affairs Director, MCS Foundation
Dr. Emily Cox, Research Associate, University of Oxford & Cardiff University
Dr Elizabeth Cripps, Senior Lecturer in Political Theory, University of Edinburgh
Dr Morgan Currie, Lecturer, Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, University of Edinburgh
Dr. James Dixon, Oxford University Centre for Environment
Maria-Krystyna Duval, Director of Climate and Energy, ClientEarth
Professor Paul Ekins OBE, Professor of Resources and Environmental Policy, UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources
Daniel Friedrich, Chair of Energy Systems, University of Edinburgh
Oliver Greenfield, Convenor, Green Economy Coalition
Jesse Griffiths, CEO, Finance Innovation Lab
Danny Gross, Climate Campaigner, Friends of the Earth England Wales and Northern Ireland
Dr Richard Hauxwell-Baldwin, Research & Campaigns Manager, MCS Foundation
Louise Hazan, Co-Founder, Tipping Point
Dr. Sarah Higginson, Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions
David Hillman, Director, Stamp Out Poverty
Catherine Howarth, CEO, ShareAction
Dr Rachel Howell, Lecturer in Sustainable Development, University of Edinburgh
Charlotte Howell-Jones, Climate Organiser, Parents for Future UK
David Ingram, Chair of Computational Fluid Dynamics, University of Edinburgh
Dr Kirsten Jenkins, Lecturer in Energy, Environment and Society, University of Edinburgh
Tessa Khan, Director, Uplift
Chaitanya Kumar, Head of Environment and Green Transition, New Economics Foundation
Michael E. Mann, Distinguished Professor of Atmospheric Science, Penn State University
Professor Mark Maslin, Zero Hour ambassador, Earth Systems Science University College London
David Murray, Executive Director, Sustainability First
Leo Murray, Co-director, Possible
Peter Newell, Professor of International Relations, University of Sussex
Dr Doug Parr, Policy Director, Greenpeace UK
Catherine Pettengell, Director, Climate Action Network UK (CAN-UK)
Dr James Price, Senior Research Fellow, UCL Energy Institute, University College London
Dr Colin Pritchard, Hon. Fellow, University of Edinburgh
Dr Steve Pye, Associate Professor in Energy Systems, University College London
Prof. Dave Reay, Director of Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, University of Edinburgh
Prof. Neil Robertson, University of Edinburgh
Roc Sandford, Director, Ocean Rebellion
Dr Simon Sneddon, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Northampton
Shaun Spiers, Executive Director, Green Alliance
Philip Steadman, Emeritus Professor of Urban and Built Form Studies and Research Fellow, University College London
Professor Richard Templer, August von Hofmann Professor of Chemistry and Director of Innovation, the Grantham Institute, Imperial College London
James Vaccaro, Executive Director, Climate Safe Lending Network
Rick Van der Ploeg, Professor of Economics, University of Oxford
Dr Gil Viry, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Edinburgh
Prof. Janette Webb MBE FEI, University of Edinburgh School of Social and Political Science
Katie White, Executive Director of Advocacy and Campaigns, WWF
Charlie Wilson, Professor of Energy and Climate Change, Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford
Murray Worthy, Gas Campaign Leader, Global Witness
