Labour

bring in a Clean Air Act to deal with illegal air quality

safeguard habitats and species in the blue belts of seas and oceans

ban on fracking

set guiding targets for plastic bottle deposit schemes

prohibit neonicotinoids as soon as our EU relationship allows us to do so

plant a million trees of native species to promote biodiversity and better food management

ensure that 60% of the UK’s energy comes from zero-carbon or renewable sources by 2030

establish a science innovation fund, working with farmers and fisheries, that will include support for our small scale fishing

Verdict:

John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace: “Far stronger on vision than on policy detail. Ambitious targets for renewable energy and home insulation have huge potential to create jobs, cut emissions, and lower bills. Along with banning unpopular fracking, they indicate Labour are serious about their commitment to tackle climate change. The promise to retain our vital environmental safeguards after Brexit will be welcomed by many, as will the proposed Clean Air Act. The destination is clear: now Labour need to show us how they plan to get there.

Dominic Hogg, chair of environmental consultants Eunomia: “Interesting commitments on low carbon energy and a statement to the effect that a Labour government is determined to lead, internationally, on climate change: the party would ban fracking, and recognises the economic potential of the low-carbon economy. Proposal to introduce a new Clean Air Act is not backed up with much detail where the pressing matter of air pollution is concerned, although there is a commitment to retrofit ‘thousands’ of diesel buses in the most polluted areas. On the natural environment, there is not much by way of discussion of the nature of farm support in a post-Brexit world: it is not really clear what the ‘science innovation fund, working with farmers and fisheries’ would aim to achieve. Says little about waste and resource use, though the strangely worded intention to introduce a deposit scheme is welcome. Despite the commitment to a fair taxation system, there is little to suggest that polluters will pay.”

Conservatives

develop the shale industry in Britain, allowing major fracking decisions to be made by a national planning body

aim to lead the world in electric vehicle technology and use

aims for almost every car and van to be zero-emission by 2050 – will invest £600m by 2020 to help achieve it

support for off shore wind industry

invest in more low-emission buses

energy policy post Brexit: we will form our energy policy based not on the way energy is generated but on the ends we desire – reliable and affordable energy … meeting our global commitments on climate change



plant a million trees in towns and cities to improve air quality

post Brexit we will continue to commit the same cash total in funds for farm support until the end of the parliament

pledge to be the first generation to leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it – will produce a 25-year environment plan

What the UK election will mean for aid and development: key manifesto vows Read more

Verdict

John Sauven: “True mixed bag. Strong support for offshore wind can boost jobs, energy security, and trade opportunities, but the emphasis on fracking is a dangerous distraction. The commitment to lead on global climate action comes at the right time but needs to be demonstrated in practice. Aiming for every car and van to be zero-emission by 2050 is a good end goal, but we need some milestones along the way. The promise of leaving a better environment to our children tomorrow is worthless if we can’t stop them being harmed by air pollution today.

Dominic Hogg: “There’s no room for anything environmental in the five giant challenges that the Conservatives have identified in their manifesto. There’s also a contradiction apparent in the commitment to meet global commitments on climate change, and the determination to develop the shale gas industry (ie support fracking) in the UK on the basis that it ‘is cleaner than coal’, conveniently forgetting that coal is being phased out anyway, so the comparator is nonsense: the proposed changes to the Shale Wealth Fund will be seen by some as a means to bribe host communities. The commitment to an additional 1 million trees in towns and cities isn’t going to change the fact that the plan for air quality, released a few weeks ago, is woeful.

There is nothing meaningful on waste. On the more positive side, the mention of a new agri-environmental scheme could be of interest, and the plan to expand Natural England’s provision of expertise to farmers feels like a welcome reversal.

The emphasis on environmental matters is weak, and the danger is that environmental issues will continue to be pushed aside.”

Liberal Democrats

5p charge on disposable coffee cups to reduce waste

diesel scrappage scheme, and a ban on the sale of diesel cars and small vans in the UK by 2025.

extend ultra-low emission zones to 10 more towns and cities,

generate jobs and exports by supporting green industries that manufacture electric and low-emission vehicles,



Zero Carbon Britain Act to set new targets to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2040 and to zero by 2050

oppose fracking

suspend the use of neonicotinoids until proven their use does not harm bees or other pollinators

establish a statutory waste recycling target of 70% in England

Verdict

John Sauven: “A number of strong proposals. Targeting diesel is the most effective way of tackling air pollution, but the party stops short of an actual phase-out plan. Their strong commitment to cutting carbon emissions is matched by good policies on renewable energy, warmer homes, and community run schemes. A robust recycling target is crucial to stop the mountain of plastic sliding into our oceans. But whether it’s waste or energy, setting targets is a lot easier than hitting them.”

Dominic Hogg: Contains some of the most advanced thinking. It is the only manifesto that has much emphasis on making polluters pay, with commitments regarding waste, vehicles and disposable coffee cups.

The emphasis on delivering on greenhouse gas emissions reduction is strong, with a range of measures proposed, including on buildings. Like the Labour party and the Greens, the Lib Dems would not support fracking. On air quality, the manifesto mentions reform of vehicle taxation and a scrappage scheme. It also envisages a ban on sales of diesel cars and small vans by 2025. Overall, the impression is that environmental issues run fairly prominently through the manifesto. There are also positive recommendations regarding the natural environment (and the Lib Dems win the battle of the tree-planters, going for one for every citizen over the next 10 years). The manifesto is the strongest of the main parties in the extent to which environmental issues, and the contribution to health and wellbeing, permeates the whole document.”

Green Party

protect the natural world in the wake of the EU referendum by creating a new Environmental Protection Act and a new environmental regulator and court.



end the monopoly of the Big Six energy companies by creating democratic, locally owned alternative energy suppliers



end plastic waste by introducing a bottle deposit scheme to stop 16m plastic bottles ending up in the environment every day



a Clean Air Act, including a new diesel scrappage scheme, a levy on emissions-cheating car manufacturers and a strengthened Clean Air Zone network across the country.



End the reliance on fossil fuels with a ban on fracking and pledge to bring forward the coal phase out by two years to 2023.



Scrap plans for all new nuclear power stations, including Hinkley Point C, with an alternative strategy to “harness the dramatically falling costs of renewable energy”.



Verdict:



John Sauven: “Many solid ideas but no great surprises. Prioritising renewable energy over expensive nuclear and unproven fracking makes economic as well as environmental sense. The combination of a diesel scrappage scheme and more clean air zones offers a practical and fair way to tackle air pollution. Tackling plastic waste is rightly recognised as a priority, and bottle return schemes are a tried and tested solution to this growing problem. The Greens have done their homework, but they’ll have to persuade people they can deliver on their promises.”

Dominic Hogg: “The Green party’s commitments are much as one might expect. The ban on fracking is as expected. Also, we would expect to see a corresponding emphasis on promoting renewables, given the Green party’s opposition to nuclear power, and its intentions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed levy on ‘cheating car manufacturers’ is interesting, but the detail is not available. The commitment to a deposit scheme is also interesting. The proposals for a new (presumably revised) Environmental Protection Act and a new environmental regulator and court do seem eye-catching, but the details of this are not yet clear.”