For People, For Planet

The climate and nature crises are the defining challenges of our time. Yet despite the obvious urgency, both Conservative and Labour governments have failed to prepare the UK adequately for the damage already underway. Moreover, Reform and the Conservatives are now recklessly hellbent on making things worse by ditching our climate commitments, sacrificing the planet for future generations.

They have both ignored opinion polls which consistently show that a clear majority of people across the UK are worried about climate change and want the government to do more to tackle it.

The Liberal Democrats believe the UK can lead the world in fighting climate change, restoring nature, and building a cleaner, fairer economy. But this transition must be affordable, equitable, and create opportunities for communities and workers, not hardship.

Today, Liberal Democrat members have passed policy to deliver a green transition that is good for people, good for the planet, and good for prosperity:

• Tackle the climate and nature emergencies equally, rather than pitting one against the other, through integrating climate, nature and resilience policies.
   
• Halve electricity bills  by investing in renewables, expanding grid capacity, and reforming the energy market to decouple gas and electricity costs. 
   
• Set zero carbon standards for all new buildings and accelerate electric vehicle adoption with expanded charging infrastructure.
   
• Establish a new UK-EU Energy and Climate Security Pact to link emissions trading schemes and boost international cooperation.
   
• Introduce a social energy tariff and provide free home energy upgrades for low-income households.
   
• Launch a National Climate Assembly to involve citizens directly in climate decisions.
   
• Invest in green skills and apprenticeships, and fund innovation in sustainable farming, land use, and zero carbon flight.
   
• Protect communities from climate impacts by developing clear adaptation strategies and increasing funding for local resilience.

The scale of the challenge is immense, but so is the opportunity.

The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in Europe, with many species at risk of extinction. The net zero economy is growing fast, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs, but we must ensure no community or worker is left behind. Renewable energy investments can lower bills, while nature-based solutions like flood defences save billions in damage costs.

These policies will protect our environment, strengthen our economy, and create a fair transition - so future generations inherit a healthier planet and a stronger society.

The Liberal Democrats will hold the government to account and deliver climate action that puts people and the planet first.