Penny Mordaunt pledges to create ‘millions of green jobs’ if elected Tory leader

theguardian.com:

Penny Mordaunt has told Conservative critics of net zero that “environmentalism and conservatism go hand in hand” as she vowed to create “millions of green jobs” if elected leader.

The MP for Portsmouth North is the only Tory leadership candidate so far to properly set out views on climate change and the environment.

She made the intervention after a fierce debate over climate targets in her party, with two of the remaining contenders, Kemi Badenoch and Tom Tugendhat, critical of domestic carbon reduction pledges. Alok Sharma, the Cop26 president, told the Observer he could resign if the next leader was lukewarm on the environment.

On Monday, Sharma will grill the five remaining candidates on green matters, giving each 15 minutes to speak about what they would do for the environment if elected leader.

There have been fears that a new leader will ditch the controversial replacement of the EU’s farming subsidies, with the farming lobby complaining that they do not want to be paid to conserve nature rather than produce food.

Mordaunt has committed to the eco-friendly farming plan, telling the Guardian: “I have pledged to reform EU land subsidies and instead will reward those farmers here at home who champion nature and sustainable management of the countryside.

“We have seen so many farmers already take these steps, but I want to encourage and support those who actively take steps to leave a cleaner, greener environment for the next generation. Sustainable farming for the longer term is an absolutely crucial part of how we, together, can protect our natural world.”

Some of her colleagues, including Steve Baker, the MP for Wycombe who runs the eurosceptic ERG group of Tory MPs, have said the cost of living crisis means the UK needs