What does the UK have to offer the world? In this month’s New Power, reports and interviews reiterate that the UK is seen as a leader in meeting the technical and financial challenges of decarbonisation and the potential to expand that role should be welcomed and supported by a new government. Naturally, for New Power’s readers this issue assumes particular importance. But for most voters it is hard to imagine that the vision of a place on the world stage and the opportunity to be a keystone of an important new industry would not be a vote-winning strategy.

So the decision of the Conservative Party to downplay the climate issue, and Boris Johnson’s lack of interest in, for example, taking part in a leaders’ climate debate, look like a missed opportunity. The climate issue may divide potential Conservative voters who dispute the importance of climate change, but the bolder strategy would have been to argue that you do not have to agree that a phenomenon exists in order to supply high-value, high-technology equipment and services to countries that believe it does.

The question over Labour’s plans is whether, in its drive to increase public ownership in the sector, it will undermine its own plans to place climate solutions in the forefront of its strategy.

This is an extract from December’s issue of New Power report. Subscribers can click here to download the latest issue or click through to read the articles online below:

Election view: New Power responds to power and energy promises from the main parties

Inside the manifestos: parties’ power plans

Not yet a subscriber? New Power is a specialist report for anyone with an interest in the UK energy industry. We look in-depth at all the issues that have to be addressed to rebuild our industry – moving from a our centralised high-carbon power system to one that will provide heat and power securely, affordably and with minimal carbon dioxide emissions. Contact [email protected] to find out more.