Welcome steps, but more needed

LAST year Theresa May made law the UK’s ground-breaking pledge of hitting net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The 10-point plan finally sets out positive and specific green steps towards that target – transforming how we will travel and heat our homes.

They will also create more jobs and benefit us all through cleaner air.

Ruling out new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 is the boldest and most welcome commitment to help cut air pollution, which contributes to 40,000 premature deaths each year.

Grants to help motorists make the switch must not be scrapped early, to ensure electric cars are not just for the wealthy, and charging points must be installed on residential roads.

The green homes grant, which offers up to £10,000 to insulate, should be extended to a 10-year-programme.

Plans to install 600,000 heat pumps, which extract heat from the air or ground, to replace gas boilers are also bold. Only 30,000 were fitted last year, with many put off by their expense and poor-quality installations.

The £5.2billion earmarked for flood and coastal defences must protect vulnerable communities, not just highvalue infrastructure. Developments on flood plains must be stopped to make these areas more resilient.

Is the new plan enough? Only £4bn of the £12bn funding is new. The test will be if greenhouse gas emissions are halved by 2030 to put us on track. These are welcome first steps. But for a genuine green revolution, such promises must become more than just favourable headlines.