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Creating an Energy and Climate Change Minister, reintroducing an annual car tax based on emissions and engine size, and increasing its subsidy to make bus fares cheaper are among the recommendations of the Climate Assembly being backed by Government.
In its ‘preferred strategy’ on carbon neutrality, which is published today, the Government says it has put its weight behind 56 of the assembly’s 108 recommendations, which it released in a report in June.
45 other recommendations are under consideration, two have been classed as not for government to act on, while five have been rejected.
The Citizens’ Assembly was made up of 45 islanders who were randomly selected after 9,000 invitations were sent out to people earlier this year asking them to register their interest.
Between March and May 2021, the group had 14 virtual meetings, during which they received briefings from members of a specialist Advisory Panel, chaired by Professor Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Society.
They were asked to make recommendations to the States Assembly on how the island should become carbon neutral.
Pictured: The Government has accepted that its subsidy to LibertyBus should increase to make bus travel cheaper.
Accepted recommendations include:
- Reintroduce car tax (yearly) for certain types of vehicles based on emissions and size.
Government comment: Ministers are developing proposals for road user charging, which is likely to be levied on an annual basis.
- Ensure an extensive Island-wide network of electric vehicle charging points by 2023.
Currently, electric vehicle chargers are in all public car parks and the network is being expanded across the Island each year.
- Implement means-tested grant and/or tax relief system for low- income families and small businesses to purchase electric vehicles or other low carbon transport from 2022/3.
£23m Climate Emergency Fund will be used to provide a programme of incentives for low-carbon technologies. The nature of these incentives will be set out in the Carbon Neutral Roadmap.
- Government to subsidise public transport fares so that there’s an affordable rate for all passengers (e.g., £1 or incentivisation) and that young people and students can travel for free (and making sure that people know about it through effective promotion).
These suggestions are being actively considered as part of the bus service development plan required by the Sustainable Transport Policy agreed by the States Assembly in 2020. The role of increased subsidy for the public transport system is recognised, and will feature in future policy development.
- By 2027, introduce monthly car free Sundays across the Island - designed to change the mindset of the population to establish Jersey as a walking and cycling Island. To be enforced by the police but with exceptions e.g., for emergencies, workers, and people with disabilities.
The value of car free events is accepted and the Sustainable Transport Policy Strong Start already provides for a programme of traffic-free events in the town centre. The frequency and occasion of these events will need to respond to feedback from Islanders. An Island-wide ban on car use with state enforcement is not considered proportionate or necessary to secure the benefits of the proposal and might potentially be counter-productive in helping change peoples’ behaviours.
- The Government to provide means-tested incentives as soon as possible to encourage and support people to make their properties carbon neutral. The Government to consider a full range of options such as grants, loans, subsidies, taxation measures, stamp duty and private finance such as green bonds.
In line with the financing strategy (Strategic Policy 3) the Climate Emergency Fund will be used to provide a programme of incentives for low-carbon technologies.
- Immediately identify the gap in key skills and stay up to date with new technologies to enable a carbon neutral Jersey. Government to provide funding for apprenticeships and upskilling existing work force on a continuing basis for any age during the transition period and beyond.
Strategic Policy 2 sets out that the Carbon Neutral Roadmap will include policies in the first stage of delivery that invest in the skills needed in the future decarbonised economy.
- Introduce by January 2023 a mandatory Energy Performance Certificate Scheme for all buildings which must be completed by 2025, or on the sale or rental of the property, if earlier. Use the scheme to ensure carbon neutrality across all buildings by 2030.
The Climate Emergency Fund will be used to provide a programme of incentives for low-carbon technologies. The role that energy certification will play in providing evidence of need as part of that incentive programme is recognised.
Pictured: The Government has rejected removing GST or import duty from electric vehicles.
Rejected recommendations include:
- No General Sales Tax or import duty on electric vehicles including bikes.
In line with the financing strategy (Strategic Policy 3) ministers are pursuing a Just Transition. Removing Goods and Services Tax and import duty uses the limited available funds to provide an untargeted and marginal incentive that would primarily benefit households with the existing means to invest in new technologies.
- Investigate glass/solar roads (roads that generate renewable energy, as used in Denmark) for the main arterial roads.
Solar roads are very specific nascent technology. Early trails are mixed but suggest the technology is difficult to commercialise in an efficient and effective way yet, so this is unlikely to be a priority for Jersey.
- Remove import taxes and other applicable taxes for electric vehicles in 2022. Introduce punitive import taxes on second-hand petrol and diesel vehicles.
Removing Goods and Services Tax and import duty uses the limited available funds to provide to provide an untargeted and marginal incentive that would primarily benefit households with the existing means to invest in new technologies.
- By 2025, legislate for a walking and cycling first transport model (aligned with the education programme). Ambition for St Helier to be car free by 2035.
The Jersey mobility hierarchy – which promotes safe walking and cycling ahead of motor vehicle use – is already established as a non-statutory policy principle in the Sustainable Transport Policy.
36 recommendations are ‘under active consideration’.
These include:
Another nine recommendations are ‘under consideration for medium / long-term plans’.
These include:
The accepted and ‘under consideration’ recommendations will be incorporated into the Government’s ‘Carbon Neutral Roadmap’, which will be published in December.
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