‘No evidence’ to support claim we’re in climate emergency, ex-minister Lord Frost claims

There’s no evidence to support claims that we are living through a climate emergency, a former cabinet minister and Liz Truss supporter has claimed.

Writing in a paper for the think tank Policy Exchange. former Brexit Minister David Frost described wind power as “medieval technology” and said people should not be asked to “up-end the whole way our societies work” in order to tackle climate change.

While he acknowledged that the effects of global heating are a problem, he said it should be tackled in a “pragmatic way” by focusing on technological solutions to get more energy in a carbon-efficient way, rather than managing demand and relying on “unsatisfactory renewables technology”.

“Western society, and indeed world civilisation, depends on copious supplies of energy. Yet the prevailing mood is one in which individuals are asked to restrict their use of energy and in which unsatisfactory renewables technology is touted as the best solution to our problems,” he wrote. 

“Instead of focusing on technological solutions that enable us to master our environment and get more energy in a more carbon-efficient way — nuclear, CCS [carbon capture and storage], fracking, one-day fusion – we have focused on managing demand so we can use medieval technology like wind power.”

One consequence of this approach, he said, was that it lead to what he describes as “climate collectivism,” what he described as “a further loss of trust” in free market economics, as normal market mechanisms are thought to be inadequate to accomplish climate goals.

It also means people are getting used to being “hectored” by the government and intellectual and NGO opinion to make sacrifices for the planet, he said.

“We are told to stop travelling, live local, eat less, stop eating meat, turn our lights out, and generally to stop being a burden,” he said.

Environmentalists and climate campaigners hit back at the former cabinet minister’s remarks pointing out that electricity generated by recently commissioned wind projects will be four times cheaper than that being generated by gas projects.

Last month, soaring temperatures surpassed former all-time records with Coningsby in Lincolnshire measuring 40.3C, while southeast England has recorded the driest year so far since 1976.

A group of international climate scientists later found that the heatwave was made at least 10 times more likely due to the climate crisis and scientists have warned that heatwaves are only set to get more frequent and more intense if global heating continues unabated.

Lord Frost was an early backer of Ms Truss who is leading in the polls to be the next prime minister ahead of her rival Rishi Sunak.

Caroline Lucas, the Green MP for Brighton Pavillion, urged Ms Truss not to let Lord Frost “anywhere near” her government if she wins the contest.

Wind power is “medieval” and “yet fossil fuels aren’t?” she tweeted. “Current evidence,” says there isn’t a climate emergency, yet we’re experiencing the worst “drought” in decades, she added.

Greenpeace described Lord Frost’s remarks as “shocking.”

“Renewables aren’t medieval, but thinking climate change isn’t serious is,” the group tweeted.

The Independent has contacted Lord Frost for comment.