Global trailblazer

Drax to go ‘carbon negative’

GIVEN THE number of people who hoped that climate change would be a dominant issue in this election, it is surprising that the issue – namely the future of the environment – has not gained more traction.

Yet, given that climate security matters as much, if not more so, than Brexit and social care, this is an issue that all political parties will have to confront and irrespective of this week’s election result.

And while Theresa May signalled a desire, in her final weeks in office, to make Britain carbonneutral by 2050, politicians – in conjunction with manufacturers – are going to have to show the type of ambition, and pragmatism, being promised by Drax.

Its chief executive Will Gardiner is due to tell global leaders, meeting in Madrid that the North Yorkshire energy supplier intends to become carbon negative by 2030 as a result of pioneering carbon capture and storage technology.

A statement of intent given that Drax owns and operates three pellet mills in America which manufacture biomass that is then burned at Drax Power Station to generate 12 per cent of this country’s renewable electricity, it is also indicative of the important of the next Government working with business to incentivise companies to reduce their emissions.

This means encouraging firms to aspire to the undertakings being made by Drax while, at the same time, putting environmental sustainability at the heart of all new housing and commercial developments so that carbon-free homes become the norm rather than the exception. If not, targets will become meaningless.