Money is there to hit net zero target

THE government is fooling us into thinking that net zero is something we cannot afford during a cost-of-living crisis. The opposite is true.

Everything comes back to energy. Energy is expensive and makes food expensive because farming requires a lot of energy from fertiliser to farm to table.

Crop yields also depend on the climate, which is affected by the energy sources we use. Carbon emissions from using fossil fuels are disrupting our farming systems, reducing output and increasing prices.

Net zero need not be expensive. Changing the planning regulations to allow solar and wind energy to expand is very cheap for the taxpayer and will save money.

Regulating for more energy-efficient homes hits builders’ profits more than the price.

Helping those most in need by insulating homes will reduce medical costs for people who currently suffer ill health from cold in winter and heat stress in summer.

Subsidies and tax breaks to the fossil fuel industry can, instead, be spent on supporting those who would otherwise be left behind in transition.

The cost to the country of coping with poor air quality from burning fossil fuels vastly outweighs the cost of subsidising bus fares that would make green transport more attractive.

We are a G7 nation – the money is there, and transition is a matter of government choice not affordability!

Do we choose to become sustainable or selfishly carry on and let future generations pay the price?

The lie that it is an issue of affordability is denying us that choice. Dilys Morgan Scott via email