Climate change plan ‘shelved to appease Trump’

THE Government has been accused of delaying the publication of a new plan aimed at tackling climate change in an attempt to improve the chances of clinching a postBrexit trade deal with globalwarming sceptic Donald Trump.

Mr Trump has famously described the phenomenon as ‘bulls**t’ and threatened to pull out of a new international climate deal.

A well-placed source said last night that the Government’s 25-year Environment Plan – promised in the 2015 Tory Election manifesto – was being quietly postponed. A blueprint for the future of British farming and fishing has also allegedly been put back.

The source said: ‘These plans were basically done by the end of last year. But with the unexpected arrival of Trump in the White House, Theresa May’s advisers want them kicked into the long grass. Given how important they say a postBrexit trade deal is with the US, they’re desperate to avoid unnecessary friction with a President who’s said climate change is a hoax.

‘It’s all a bit pathetic because I’m not sure Trump would even notice.’

The Government has boasted of its aim to leave the UK’s environment ‘in a better state for future generations than we find it’.

But Ministers have faced questions over when they would honour their pledge and actually publish the 25-year plan and the associated one on farming and fishing.

Last month, Environment Minister Therese Coffey promised her department would ‘soon’ be pub- lishing a draft Green Paper in advance of the full document.

However, Labour MP Mary Creagh, chairman of the Commons Environmental Audit Committee, said last night: ‘The Tories’ Election manifesto promised they would be the first generation to leave England’s natural environment in a better state than they found it. They can’t now put that on hold because of the misguided beliefs of the new US President.

‘Ministers should come clean and set out a clear timetable for when they are going to publish these plans.’

Last night, No10 denied there had been any delay. A spokesman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said it was ‘committed’ to the plan, adding: ‘We will shortly launch a public consultation.’