Greens' criticism 'unfair', says treasury minister

'Lots of credible evidence' that government is tackling climate change

The treasury minister has defended his commitment to tackle climate change, after the Isle of Man Green Party said his administration was guilty of not taking the issue seriously enough.

Following the announcement of the budget for 2019, Alfred Cannan branded the party's criticism as 'unfair' and 'extremely hard on government', saying that it didn't take into consideration the huge amount of work that was already being done.

Leader of the Manx Greens Andrew Newton believes the Island is looking to the Council of Ministers to take 'urgent and proactive' leadership to reduce CO2 emissions.

Mr Cannan set aside £3.3 million for sea defence projects as protection from the threats of climate change as part of a wider picture, which he says is 'a political commitment to the environment'.

Speaking on Manx Radio's Perspective program he said "I recognise that from the budget's perspective there were only some small commitments.

"But we have made commitments in terms of actually tackling climate change within the budget."

"There's a £200,000 community fund going to the Manx Lottery Trust for match funding projects in the local community."

"Actually there's a number of workstreams going on across government.

"Sure, you could always do more, this is an advancing area, there's a lot of technology improvements that are happening all the time.

"So just to sit there and say 'government's not doing anything' I think is unfair and there's a huge amount of evidence that we are."

Mr Newton, who highlights the fact that 'sustainable' was used eight times in the budget speech and 'climate change' only once, says government should deliver on its promises as a biosphere nation and commit to the 'rational conservation and use of its natural resources.'

Adopt renewables 'at the right pace'

Earlier in the month, Manx Utilities Chair Dr Alex Allinson said he expects the Island to transition into cleaner energy usage by 2030, following the decommissioning of diesel generators in Ramsey power plant.

Mr Cannan also shares the view that renewables like offshore wind will form part of the Island's energy security in the coming decades.

"It would be foolish to ignore emerging technologies in this particular sector, but there is not a perfect science on this at the moment.

"So we've got to be sensible about how it's all being applied and we also need to be sure that we can afford, for example, to invest and get some return these technologies.

"There's a long way to go, so it's not fair, it's not right to say the government has not committed to this.

"But what we are committed to, is to ensure it is done at the right pace.

The UN's intergovernmental panel on climate change urged world governments to decarbonise  their economies within the next 12 years, or face a temperature rise of two degrees Celsius.

Scientists say this will lead to an extinction-level event and an ecological breakdown, with rising seas and food insecurity threatening the natural world.

"In terms of CO2, we've set out a clear strategy and I would argue that we are doing as much as anybody." affirmed the treasury minister.

"When you look at what we've already achieved, when we look at our Biosphere UNESCO recognition and the commitment we've made to biodiversity, the areas of special scientific interest, the commitment to develop and maintain our glens for example.

"Across the Island, you will see clear examples," he says, "not just the government, but the community is committed and cognizant of the fact that we need to protect our environment and build on that protection for the future."