H F T F . O R G . U K THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY BACKGROUND WHAT IS THE CONSERVATIVE The Conservative Party has been the main governing party of Government since 2010, and STANCE ON has been in power for 44 years cumulatively CLIMATE s ince 1945. The party has historically been described as a ‘broad church’, accommodating a POLICY? spectrum of views. Since Brexit in 2016, it has positioned itself as an overtly pro-Brexit party, Background with increased spending and a move away from Net Zero austerity. The party has also gone through a Policies significant period of upheaval in recent years, with two changes in leadership and two snap elections declared; Theresa May in 2016 and Boris Johnson in 2019. Members have also been ejected from the party due to disagreements on Brexit. In this election, and under Boris leadership, the party is focused on Brexit. WHAT IS THEIR STANCE ON NET-ZERO, AND HOW DO THEY AIM TO Continued... ACHIEVE IT? In addition to a focus on innovation, the party also aims to look Under Theresa May’s leadership, in June 2019 at how Brexit could legislation was passed enshrining a national offer opportunities to c ommitment to achieving net-zero carbon further environmental emissions by 2050. Since Boris Johnson became aims. Environment leader in July 2019 he has prioritised an Minister Zac Goldsmith i nnovation-led approach to decarbonisation with significant amounts of money being directed spoke at the towards green technology. This approach aims to Conservative’s summer link business and government spending together party conference about to decarbonise the economy with minimal the ability to redirect negative consequences. Former Climate Change funds from EU projects, Minister Claire Perry O’Neill has said that voters such as the Common shouldn’t believe the ‘negativity regarding climate Agricultural Policy, and change’. redirecting Britain’s rural policies to incentivise agricultural communities to sequester carbon on their land. The party also has a noteworthy environmental wing. The Conservative Environment Network (CEN) counts approximately 50 MPs out of the current 298 MPs who belong to the Conservative Party at the time of writing. This group of MPs includes Zac Goldsmith and Theresa Villiers among their members, who now serve as minister and Secretary of State in the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs. This organisation has pushed for new net-zero legislation, the new Environment Bill, and better animal welfare standards; all of which they succeeded in getting their party to adopt. POLICIES REFERENCES 1.https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachme nt_data/file/700496/clean-growth-strategy-correction-april-2018.pdf (page 13) 2. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachme nt_d ata/file/739460/road-to-zero.pdf 3. https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/company-car-tax-and-legislation/2019/10/02/tories- consider-2035-ban-on-diesel-and-petrol 4. htt ps://www.wearepossible.org/actions-blog/onshore-wind-in-manifestos 5. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/offshore-wind-sector-deal/offshore-wind- sector-deal 6. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2008/32/pdfs/ukpga_20080032_en.pdf 7. https://www.conservatives.com/sharethefacts/2019/10/pm-speech-conservative-party- conference 8. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-502674549 9. https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/resource-documents/12215.pdf 10. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachme nt_data/file/808858/Government-supported-new-planting-trees-England-2018-19-.pdf 11. https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-8515 H F T F . O R G . U K.