By Abbas Nazil
The United Kingdom should avoid adopting a polarised approach to climate policy similar to the debate in the United States, Climate Minister Katie White has said.
White warned that treating climate action as a simple political divide between opposing sides could hinder progress on energy and environmental policy.
Speaking at the POLITICO Pub during the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on Tuesday, White said the UK government should seek areas of cooperation on energy policy, including with the administration of US President Donald Trump, despite differences over climate policy.
She said the United States had experienced delays in climate progress because discussions had become framed as a binary argument over whether climate action was inherently associated with one side of the political spectrum.
White argued that such divisions had contributed to difficulties in advancing climate-related measures in the US.
The UK government is pursuing an expansion of clean energy sources, including solar and wind power, while the Trump administration has moved to reverse some climate policies and encourage increased fossil fuel production.
White also addressed rising fuel costs in Britain, as diesel prices reached a record 199.8 pence per litre on Tuesday, according to the UK Fuel Finder website.
The increase has occurred amid continuing conflict in the Middle East, which has contributed to pressure on energy markets and fuel prices.
White acknowledged the immediate financial pressure facing households and said the government needed to respond to the economic difficulties people were experiencing.
She was also asked whether motorists should consider switching to electric vehicles as a way of reducing exposure to rising fuel costs.
White said politicians needed to respond to people’s immediate financial pressures while also supporting the transition towards electric vehicles over the longer term.
She said motorists who were able to make the switch could consider electric vehicles as an investment because of their lower running costs.
The minister’s comments came as UK officials monitor potential developments in US energy policy, including proposals concerning American diesel exports.
The issue has attracted attention as fuel prices rise and political pressure builds ahead of the US midterm elections.
White said the UK government would seek to build bridges where common ground could be found on energy policy rather than allowing climate discussions to become increasingly divided.
Her remarks highlight the challenge facing governments seeking to pursue long-term climate policies while responding to immediate concerns over energy affordability and household costs.
The UK is continuing to promote the expansion of renewable electricity and electric transport as part of its broader transition away from fossil fuels.
At the same time, the sharp increase in diesel prices has placed greater pressure on motorists and policymakers to address the immediate cost of transportation.
White’s comments suggest that the UK government intends to combine longer-term efforts to reduce fossil fuel dependence with measures aimed at helping households cope with current energy and transport costs.
