Last night, like hundreds of thousands of Londoners, I received an email from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, with the subject line: “Gautier, what today means for you.” Curious, I wondered if something had happened in London. Was it something serious?
Yes and no—the event in question came from across the Atlantic. Donald Trump’s re-election had caused shockwaves throughout the day, prompting the Mayor to send a message directly to Londoners. In it, Khan reminded us of the values of unity, openness, tolerance, and ambition on environmental issues, aiming to reassure, if not console, the city’s progressive-minded residents.
The initial shock came at 10:40 BST, when the Associated Press announced Trump’s clear, uncontested victory. His win revived a climate-sceptic, even climate-denying, agenda many had hoped was behind us.
The imminent—and, frankly, worrying—unravelling of U.S. environmental policy has a troubling parallel here in the UK with Kemi Badenoch, elected almost simultaneously as the new leader of the Conservative Party. This transatlantic alignment among conservative parties—despite climate change being one of the top concerns for Britons—points to increasing polarisation.
On one side, we have a conservative faction bolstered by Trump’s re-election, likely to double down on opposing environmental measures. On the other side, the so-called progressive parties (Labour, Liberal Democrats, Greens), each calling for a fairer and faster green transition, albeit with some differences in approach.
But what exactly is Kemi Badenoch’s agenda? Where does she stand on climate, and are her views aligned with Trump’s?
Sources: The Guardian, DeSmog, Conservatism in Crisis: Rise of the Bureaucratic Class, ENDS, The Independent, Le Monde
Kemi Badenoch: A detached conservatism with climate-sceptic positions
From the outset, it’s clear that Kemi Badenoch’s election as leader of the shadow cabinet marks a shift toward a right-wing, conservative, ultra-liberal vision—once marginal, but now dominant among MPs and the members of a shrinking Conservative Party.
This is a stark contrast to the days of Theresa May, who made the UK the first major economy to set a legally binding Net Zero target for 2050, and Boris Johnson’s “Green Industrial Revolution” before COP26 in Glasgow, a moment of national pride. Progressive figures like Chris Skidmore and Zac Goldsmith have since either lost their seats, left the Conservative Party, or stepped away from politics altogether.
What was Badenoch’s platform, and what does her pamphlet, Conservatism in Crisis – Rise of the Bureaucratic Class (soon to be published as a book), reveal about the new conservative ideology?
- Economy vs. ecology: Prioritises economic growth, seeing it as in conflict with environmental policies.
- Ultra-liberal focus: The individual is sovereign, the market is supreme, and regulations are seen as barriers.
- Net zero scepticism: Questions the need for Net Zero, bordering on climate scepticism or even indifference (“let the future deal with it”).
- Weakening solidarity: Reduces solidarity, both internationally (between nations) and domestically (between social classes).
- Ties to fossil fuel lobby: Supports the fossil fuel industry, with a delayed, market-driven approach to low-carbon transition.
- Politicising the civil service: Divides civil servants into “good” and “bad,” with plans to control and remove internal opposition.
In essence, Badenoch embodies a conservatism disconnected from climate realities, defined by a rejection of binding ecological policies and a vision where economic growth trumps climate urgency.
Where do her key shadow cabinet members stand?
Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet signals a clear shift in Conservative climate policy. Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel has called for a pause on Net Zero and opposes new wind turbines. Claire Coutinho, Shadow Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero, supports lifting the fracking ban. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick wants to repeal key Blair and Brown-era laws, including the Climate Change Act, which has been a cornerstone of the UK’s climate policy. Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins has a record of voting against climate action and water protections.
All of this is hardly reassuring.
What to expect in the coming months and years
– Culture war and division: Climate issues have become part of a broader cultural divide, with climate scepticism presented as “pro-people” and in opposition to so-called “urban” and “woke” elites. Badenoch and her team leverage this division to rally working-class communities against what they describe as a pro-environment elite.
– Extreme politicisation: By framing climate policy as a political battleground, Badenoch is deepening social divides. Drivers, farmers, and working families are positioned against urban residents, civil servants, and climate advocates. This creates a polarised “us vs them” atmosphere, where pro-climate views are cast as threats to traditional values.
– Impact of a populist, ultra-liberal vision: Although Badenoch presents herself as a champion of the working class, her ultra-liberal policies are likely to favour big businesses and the wealthy. By weakening environmental regulations, her policies could leave working-class communities more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, such as pollution and extreme weather events.
Acting in uncertain times
The re-election of Trump shows that facts and science no longer matter to many, and that ideology based on fake news and false promises now leads the way. The ideological alignment between Trump and Badenoch on climate and social issues marks a worrying shift in the fight for climate action.
This political climate should spark greater awareness and fuel a strong citizens’ movement, focused on mobilising support for vulnerable communities, increasing public understanding, and expanding education—especially to show that climate action serves the interests of the many. Now is the time to take action to defend the UK’s climate commitments, and The Green Londoner, by providing actionable, practical, and localised content, aims to contribute its part.
With climate now a political battleground, resisting is more important than ever, and the Mayor’s email yesterday was a welcome reminder of this pressing need.
