Donald Trump Praises Rishi Sunak for Net Zero Rollback Amid Controversial Decision
The former US President praised the PM for refusing to damage his country's economy in response to climate change, which he believes is not a real problem.
Former US President Donald Trump has backed Rishi Sunak's decision to water down net zero measures, describing it as "smart". Sunak has delayed a ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol cars by five years and weakened targets to phase out gas boilers.
Trump, who has railed against climate measures in his country, said on his social media platform Truth Social, that Sunak was "not going to destroy and bankrupt his nation for fake climate alarmists that don't have a clue".
Sunak's decision to delay net zero measures has met with mixed reactions. Some have welcomed the move, saying that it will help to protect the economy and jobs. Others have criticized the decision, saying that it is a step backwards in the fight against climate change.
Trump's endorsement of Sunak's decision is likely to further divide opinion on net zero. Trump is a controversial figure, and his views on climate change are widely disputed. However, his comments are likely to give Sunak some political cover, and they could embolden other world leaders to water down their own net zero commitments.
The UK government's net zero targets were originally set in 2019, and they commit the UK to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. However, the government has since acknowledged that these targets will be difficult to achieve, and it has been under increasing pressure from businesses and consumers to ease the burden of green commitments.
Sunak's decision could also set a precedent for other countries to follow. However, it remains to be seen whether the decision will ultimately be successful in protecting the economy and jobs or whether it will simply delay the inevitable transition to a clean energy future.
Environmental groups have been critical of Sunak's decision to water down net zero measures. They argue that the decision is a step backwards in the fight against climate change and that it will ultimately lead to higher costs and more damage in the long run
Some argue that the decision will help to protect jobs and businesses in the short term. Meanwhile, others argue that the decision will ultimately damage the economy by making the UK less competitive in the global race to develop clean energy technologies.
The PM detailed his plans to the public on Wednesday after putting them to Cabinet ministers in a hastily arranged call in response to a leak of his plans to the BBC.
Furthermore, Mr Sunak faced staunch criticism from within his own party to his action, while he also angered climate campaigners, the car industry and former prime minister Boris Johnson.
Moreover,Mr Trump is widely expected to be the Republican candidate for next year's US presidential election.
But his campaign is being threatened by a series of legal cases against him, including the investigation into efforts to overturn the result of the 2020 presidential election.
