Disappointment as climate sceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg named new Energy Secretary

New Prime Minister Liz Truss has appointed climate sceptic Jacob Rees-Mogg to lead on issues relating to energy and the climate crisis, sparking concern amongst climate campaigners.

Truss has chosen her cabinet, with Rees-Mogg set to be the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and to take a key role in solving the energy crisis.

The politician has previously criticised ‘climate alarmism’, blaming rising energy prices on this and saying we should adapt to a warming climate rather than try to prevent it.

This is despite hundreds of leading scientists and the IPCC report making clear that if we don’t attempt to limit climate change it will result in thousands of deaths, increased natural disasters and a huge extinction event.

Rees-Mogg, who invests in oil and coal mining through a fund he co-founded, Somerset Capital Management, has also rejected calls for a windfall tax on energy companies ‘so they can get every last drop out of the North Sea.’

The news of his appointment has been met with anger and concern from environmental campaigners, who say he doesn’t take the climate emergency seriously and isn’t the right man for the job.

Friends of the Earth’s head of political affairs, Dave Timms, said: ‘Putting someone who recently suggested “every last drop” of oil should be extracted from the North Sea in charge of energy policy is deeply worrying for anyone concerned about the deepening climate emergency, solving the cost-of-living crisis and keeping our fuel bills down for good.

‘Extracting more fossil fuels is a false solution to the energy crisis. It’s our failure to end our reliance on gas and oil that’s sent energy bills soaring and left us teetering on the brink of catastrophic climate change.

‘We need a forward-looking, modern energy strategy based on better home insulation and unleashing the full potential of the UK’s homegrown renewables power – not one rooted in dirty fossil fuels of the past.’

Former leader of the Green Party and MP for Brighton, Caroline Lucas, took to Twitter, posting a viral picture of Rees-Mogg lying down in parliament.

OMG she’s only gone & done it 😱 @trussliz has put fossil fuel loving, deregulation-obsessed Jacob Rees Mogg in charge of both energy & climate crises -he is not a serious person & this is not a serious Government. Can only hope he wakes up in time to recognise scale of emergency pic.twitter.com/QYY4dGUd36

— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) September 6, 2022

 She said: ‘OMG she’s only gone & done it. @trussliz has put fossil fuel loving, deregulation-obsessed Jacob Rees Mogg in charge of both energy & climate crises -he is not a serious person & this is not a serious Government. Can only hope he wakes up in time to recognise scale of emergency.’

Photo by Adi Ulici