It's regrettable that it takes a war to remind us of our top priorities like defence and food and energy security.
The latter is concentrating minds as costs spiral and households struggle to pay to keep themselves warm and fed.
With an over reliance on imports and renewables, we must find a way, and as quick as we can, to keep UK plc on the move.
This dose of realism, while not compromising the laudable aims of COP26, does question the unrealistic targets set, which will only impoverish us.
And let’s not forget that we contribute one per cent of global emissions, compared to China, the US and India, with figures of 28, 15 and 7 per cent, respectively.
We’re also world leaders in reducing them, though few acknowledge that.
Yet the self-flagellation persists and the less well-off are being affected most with energy bills, already laden with green taxes, nearly doubling.
The electric car revolution is stalling, with costs, lack of recharging points, inadequate domestic supply, battery problems, ‘range anxiety’ and this week the possibility of road tolls, slowing uptake.
Options like hydrogen are stifled by vested interests, while there’s widespread confusion about the 2025 ban on new boilers, to be replaced by unproven, ‘low carbon’ alternatives.
Now, as I have said, driven by war, there’s change in the air.
Shell is reportedly reconsidering its December decision to close the Cambo oil field off the Shetlands, noting the “economic, political and regulatory environment had changed enormously”.
Two fracking wells due to be sealed last week were granted a stay of execution.
And the Prime Minister is backing a series of new, British-built, mini nuclear reactors.
Decarbonise we must, but not to the serious detriment of our country.
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