Net Zero 'crucial' to economic future of Yorkshire, ministers warned amid speculation of green U-turns

It comes after senior Tories suggested that Rishi Sunak should slow the pace of the country’s climate commitments following the narrow win over Labour in the Uxbridge by-election.

The vote was viewed by many in the constituency as a referendum on the ULEZ clean air charge in London, with some Conservatives arguing that it shows voters do not want to press ahead with green policies at their current pace.

“It's absolutely critical for the environment, but it's also absolutely critical for the economy of York and North Yorkshire,” Mr Duncan told The Yorkshire Post.

“Our future economic fortunes depend on us being serious about Net Zero and our environmental commitments.

“We have an aspiration not only to be carbon neutral, but to actually be England’s first carbon negative region by 2040.”

Mr Duncan was adopted as the Conservative candidate for the North Yorkshire Mayoral race earlier this month, and has previously opposed the Government’s stance on fracking whilst leader of Ryedale Council in 2019.

“We have the natural capital, the industrial base, the academic excellence, right here in York and North Yorkshire to deliver on that aspiration, we can be at the forefront of a green industrial revolution, leading the UK and leading the world on climate change,” he said.

It comes after Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, warned that the public should be protected against the costs of the transition to green energy so that it does not turn into a “resistance”.

“It’s important that the Government does press ahead with appropriate and thoughtful steps in order to safeguard the environment but there are some specific areas where the cost that is being imposed on individuals risks creating a backlash,” he told Times Radio yesterday.

“We don’t want to get to a situation where the support for improving our environment curdles and turns into resistance.”

Members of the Conservative Party have previously seized on the result of the Uxbridge by-election as an opportunity to push for a dilution of the Government’s net zero commitments, with Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg claiming they were “unpopular” and “expensive”.

The Government yesterday faced further warnings over its economic outlook and commitment to its green policies.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted the UK is expected to be the second slowest-growing economy in the G7 this year, despite a major upgrade to the country’s prospects.

A group of 23 MPs, including the former environment minister Lord Goldsmith, also warned the UK could become “a passive observer in international action on climate change”.

The Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee, in a report published today, said that the Government was “clearly not on course” to deliver its international commitment to protect 30 per cent of England’s land and sea for nature by 2030.

Caroline Lucas, the Green Party MP and chair of the Climate APPG, said: “The planet is burning, and Rishi Sunak is asleep at the wheel.

“He’s been silent on global climate leadership and absent on domestic climate action for far too long. The bare minimum that the Prime Minister can do is agree to attend Cop28 – we can’t have a repeat of last year’s excruciating U-turn.”