Sian Sutherland, co-founder of A Plastic Planet, explains why it’s time for Labour to rock the boat and make real progress to tackle climate change.
For 14 years, there has been a distinct lack of ambition and delay from the Conservatives. From failing to address the sewage crisis to wilfully ignoring calls for stronger climate action, the Labour Party has inherited a litany of flawed environmental policies that are outdated and insufficient to tackle the scale of the problem.
The climate and plastic public health crises continue to escalate, yet the political response in the UK, like elsewhere, has been tepid and fragmented. The silence on climate action from the major parties, including our incumbent government, is deafening, and frankly, dangerous.
To avoid alienating voters during the lead-up to the General Election, the Labour Party took a cautious approach and refused to rock the boat. Polling pinned the environment as the fifth most important issue for voters, and yet it was not given the airtime it deserved.
The Party’s manifesto hardly touched on the matter and overlooked the plastic crisis but their commitment to a circular economy and halting new oil and gas plans lay fertile ground for change.
Now Labour is in power, the time for playing it safe is over, especially given how high the stakes are.
What the new government must do
With a clear mandate from the nation and the largest parliamentary majority in 25 years, the Labour Party has the power to enact and accelerate transformative change and lead us into a post-plastic era.
Following the election, Steve Reed, the newly appointed Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), set out his five priorities for his department – notably this included “creating a roadmap to move Britain to a zero-waste economy”.
This was a welcome statement, however, without mention of the plan for a “zero waste economy” in the King’s Speech we are left wondering what, if anything, Defra has planned.
Bans are an easy win for the government. They work and they are popular. History has shown us that bans work. When the UK banned plastic straws and cutlery, we saw an immediate effect. It created a level playing field and drove the market towards sustainable alternatives.
These bans are not just about eliminating harmful products, they provide businesses with the certainty they need to innovate and adapt. Extending this approach to other single-use plastics will undoubtedly steer the ship away from our dependency on toxic plastics.
By committing to a practical route map, the government can design us out of our inherently flawed take-make-waste model so that plastic bottles, single-use vapes, carrier bags and many, many other items are condemned to the past.
Recycling has long been touted as a silver bullet yet only 9% of plastics have ever been given a second life. Instead, we must go back to the drawing board and innovate beyond the plastic perimeter, invest in green technologies and reduce our reliance on petrochemicals used to produce plastic.
The true cost of climate inaction
Growth is on the lips of the Labour Party as they aim to give the British economy a shot in the arm.
The previous government of delayers and deniers overstated the cost of action, ignoring the distinct financial burden coming down the line from plastic. If we fail to do so, businesses could face up to $100 billion annually by 2040 globally.
The cost of inaction will not only eat away at the health of the planet and its people but jeopardise the growth and stability of our economy.
Industry and government alike should see a transition away from plastic as an opportunity, a leader in a plastic-free economy will undoubtedly reap the rewards, so why are we waiting to invest and innovate?
Put Britain back on the world stage
Of course, the plastic crisis is a global one and the UK cannot go it alone in the fight. The UN Global Plastics Treaty negotiations conclude at the end of this year, with nations drafting a once-in-a-generation piece of legislation to, we hope, eliminate the dire effects of our plastic addiction.
The Prime Minister has a clear opportunity to revitalise British diplomacy by advocating for a comprehensive global treaty informed by science.
World leaders have been silent on the negotiations while Big Oil is ringfencing their plastic profits in backrooms. If Labour wishes to make a mark in environmental policy and put Britain back on the global stage, I cannot think of a better opportunity.
The solutions are within our grasp, and the public is ready for bold action. Labour has the mandate and the moral responsibility to take radical action.
The measures we propose are not only popular but essential for protecting our planet, our health, and our economy for future generations. There is no excuse for inaction. The time to lead is now.
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