Chance to make difference on future of our planet

AHEAD of the Budget next week, we are writing to support your Green Britain Needs You campaign (“Boris: Climate change threat to world peace”, February 23) and call on the Chancellor to scrapVAT on low and zero carbon products and services (“Rishi: Budget will provide help for rest of pandemic”, February 24).

The current tax regime is not aligned with the UK’s net-zero mission.Action is needed to ensure the tax system does not penalise green innovation, while ensuring the most vulnerable are protected.

ScrappingVAT on green goods, – for example insulation, solar panels and electric cars – and on services, such as retrofitting homes to make them low carbon, can help kick-start the UK’s green recovery. The Green Homes Grant also needs to continue, with all the funding unspent this financial year rolled over. Making the UK building stock zero carbon is one of the greatest infrastructure opportunities of our time and it must be treated by the Treasury as such. Ahead of the historic COP 26 climate summit, the UK has the chance to lead the world in a green industrial revolution. Now is the moment for the Chancellor to make it affordable for all to take action in support of a greener world.

Nick Mabey, CEO, E3G, Nick Molho, Executive Director, Aldersgate Group, CrispinTruman, CEO, CPRE, Hugh Knowles & MiriamTurner, Co-CEOs, Friends of the Earth, Julie Hirigoyen, CEO, Green Building Council, John Sauven, Executive Director, Greenpeace, Craig Bennett, CEO,WildlifeTrusts, Tanya Steele, CEO,WWF, Polly Billington, Director, UK100