Julie Edge delivered the strongest criticism in Tynwald’s debate on the Climate Change Transformation Programme, warning that headline emissions cuts masked a lack of genuine delivery across government.
Onchan MHK Edge said the headline 10% reduction since 2018 “looks good until you read the detail” and pointed out that last year’s biggest drop, a 19% fall in electricity emissions, was caused by a major power outage, not climate action.
Mild weather and a smaller cattle herd also contributed. “An unplanned outage, a mild winter and a smaller herd are not climate policy,” she told members.
She highlighted stalled projects, rising business and waste emissions, and slow progress on decarbonising government buildings despite millions allocated.
Constituents, she said, were facing rising heating and housing costs and they were “not seeing improvements in their lives’” with free insulation the only tangible benefit delivered so far. She called for reconciled emissions figures and an independent value‑for‑money audit of the climate fund.
Present Day Risk
Earlier, Dr Michelle Haywood warned that extreme heat and wetter winters demonstrated climate change was already a “present day risk” to the island.
MLC Rob Mercer pointed to “resistance to change” and a lack of urgency across departments, despite evidence that decarbonising government buildings could save tens of millions.
MLC Paul Craine said the island was at the early stages of a “massive transformation” and must push through departmental inertia.
Environment Minister Clare Barber acknowledged resource pressures and structural barriers, saying delivery depends on departments across government.
She defended progress on peatland restoration, blue‑carbon protection and home‑insulation schemes, but agreed the pace must increase.
Tynwald approved the Climate Change Transformation Programme report by 18 votes to 2 in the Keys, and 9 to 0 in the Legislative Council.
