Key facts
- Reform's deputy leader Richard Tice stated that efforts to combat climate breakdown are futile.
- Tice urged the public to 'enjoy' recent heatwaves and focus on adaptation.
- He questioned the evidence for net zero targets and argued climate change is a natural, ongoing process.
- Tice proposed investing in desalination plants as a practical adaptation measure.
- Climate experts and campaigners criticized Tice's remarks, citing thousands of heat-related deaths and hardship.
Reform's deputy leader, Richard Tice, has stated that efforts to combat climate breakdown are futile and suggested that people should 'enjoy' the recent heatwaves. Speaking at a press conference, Tice described attempts to stop the climate emergency as 'arrogant' and advocated for adaptation strategies instead, highlighting potential upsides such as improved English wine production.
Tice argued that climate change has always occurred and will continue to do so, questioning the evidence that net zero policies can halt it. He drew a comparison to the 1976 heatwave, suggesting a more positive outlook on warmer weather. Reform has consistently campaigned against the UK's commitment to reach net zero by 2050 and has pledged to end green subsidies.
The party has received significant donations from individuals connected to the fossil fuel industry. Tice also proposed investing in desalination plants, similar to those used successfully in the Middle East, as a practical adaptation measure for the UK.
Climate experts and campaigners strongly criticized Tice's remarks. Alasdair Johnstone of the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit pointed to the thousands of deaths and widespread hardship caused by recent heatwaves, emphasizing that tackling the cause through net zero emissions is the only way to prevent future impacts. Amy Cameron of Greenpeace UK accused Reform of denying the climate crisis to benefit its fossil fuel funders, contrasting Tice's views with the struggles of nurses, farmers, and those fleeing wildfires.