As the UK prepares for local elections on Thursday, green campaigners are warning voters that the cost of living crisis is inextricably linked to fossil fuels and the climate crisis. They argue that choosing parties that support renewable energy could provide a more stable and affordable future.
Renewables vs. Fossil Fuels: A Key Election Issue
Ami McCarthy, head of politics at Greenpeace UK, stated: "With people's bills and prices soaring from yet another fossil fuel crisis, these local elections have a global context – driven by the Iran war. Getting the UK out of the fossil fuel doom loop and on to renewables would secure a stable and affordable supply of energy. Voters face a choice between parties that want to keep us hooked on expensive, imported oil and gas, and those that offer a way out of this cycle of insecurity."
The Reform party, led by Nigel Farage, is expected to perform well in the elections for roughly 5,000 council seats in England, and to a lesser extent in Scotland and Wales. The party has taken an anti-climate stance, vowing to encourage fracking, impose punitive taxes on renewable energy, and block solar and windfarms. The Conservatives have also embraced more North Sea drilling and downplayed the climate crisis.
However, Fatih Birol, the world's leading energy economist and head of the International Energy Agency, said new oil and gasfields would do little to improve the UK's energy security or ease high prices.
The Case for Renewables
Mike Childs, head of science, policy and research at Friends of the Earth, argued that boosting renewable energy generation offers a better path out of the crisis. "Solar and wind energy are cheaper than oil, more secure, and not subject to stranglehold by hostile forces. Most people in Britain back strong climate action. When the same solutions will bring down bills, restore nature, boost the economy and make our local areas nicer places to live, voters deserve candidates who will act in their interests – not on behalf of polluters or the super-rich."
Energy is not the only concern. Childs noted that after listening exercises by Friends of the Earth groups, "the need for cheaper bills, better quality housing, access to green space and more frequent bus services are among the top concerns voters care about."
Water and air pollution are also significant issues, according to Ed Matthew, UK director of the E3G thinktank. "Local people want the pollution blighting their lives to end."
Tactical Voting and Green Prospects
The VoteClimate initiative has identified about 1,800 seats where the Green party has a chance of winning, though many of these could also be won by Labour, which has strong policies on boosting renewable energy and green solutions to ease the cost of living crisis. About 240 seats across England are "supermarginals," where the difference between defeat and victory for Green and Liberal Democrat candidates could come down to about 50 votes. Of these, around 114 are seats where the Greens and Reform are likely to be within about 50 votes of one another, including seats in Hounslow, Croydon, and Oxford.
Ben Horton, director of VoteClimate, said: "The climate emergency is accelerating and it's time our politicians acted like it. Most people in the UK want strong climate action, but the issue is often ignored."
Rural Concerns
In rural areas, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) highlights issues such as planning, rural crime (including flytipping), poor internet and mobile connections, and food procurement. Farmers want at least 50% of food bought by councils for schools, hospitals, and other public purposes to be locally sourced.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: "Confidence in the sector remains severely low. Farm businesses are under extreme cost pressures for feed, fuel and fertiliser, exacerbated by geopolitical tensions, starting with the invasion of Ukraine and most recently war in the Middle East, coupled with unpredictable climate and extreme weather, all impacting on our ability to produce food."
The solution, according to McCarthy, is not more fossil fuels but taxing those who have contributed most to the cost of living crisis. "People and businesses need support through this turbulent time. What better way to raise funds than by properly taxing the eyewatering and meritless profits of oil and gas companies?"
