His appointment by Liz Truss has already caused concern because of Mr Jayawardena’s voting record, which shows he has “consistently voted for measures to prevent climate change”, as well as against government support for renewable energy projects, according to the website, They Work For You. Despite this stance, he has previously said he recognizes the importance of the UK taking climate action and has campaigned for improved recycling and backed the government’s moves to ban plastic straws in 2020. An MP since 2015 and a former junior minister in the trade department, Mr Jayawardena replaces George Eustice, who was appointed to the role by Boris Johnson in February 2020. Mr Jayawardena’s voting record shows he prefers a light touch when it comes to environmental regulations that could affect business. Records for They Work For You show that Mr Jayawardena voted “not to require an ’emergency climate and nature impact statement’ as part of any proposal for financial assistance under UK Internal Market Act”. in September 2020. It also voted “not to require ministers to take due account of the target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 when taking measures, including the establishment of agricultural subsidy schemes”, in October 2020. As the new environment secretary, Mr Jayawardena will be responsible for ensuring the UK’s food security and supporting British agriculture, while also being the government’s leading figure on environmental protection, taking on issues such as sewage-filled waterways and seas, the agricultural impact of the current drought, the spread of bird flu around the UK coast, recovery programs and dealing with the long-term impacts of the worsening climate crisis. His voting record shows he was among Conservative MPs who last year voted against Defra’s environmental principles, which were designed, the department said, “to guide ministers and policy-makers towards opportunities to prevent environmental damage and enhance the environment, where necessary and appropriate”. These principles, proposed by the government, include the ‘polluter pays’ principle, which means that, ‘wherever possible, the cost of pollution should be borne by those who cause it and not by the person who suffers the effects of the resulting pollution. environmental damage. , or the wider community”. The Conservatives voted against adopting the principles which would have required public authorities to undertake a greater level of environmental action. Mr Jayawarda also voted with his Conservative colleagues against laws to cut transport emissions by 2030, as well as against a proposal to promote “a green industrial revolution to decarbonise and stimulate of economic development”. Both proposals were defeated in the Commons. However, in a blog post on his website earlier this year, he wrote that “protecting the future environment and living standards for our region and beyond is of great importance.” He said: “This is supported by the volume of correspondence to me from local people. Economic development and respect for our planet are by no means two opposites.” Following his appointment, Mr Jayawardena said: “It is a privilege to be appointed Secretary of State for Defra. “From food security and supporting Britain’s farmers, to water security and growing our rural economy, I know there is a lot to do. “It’s so important to recognize where our food comes from.” In a related tweet, Mr Jayawardena added: “This year in North East Hampshire alone we will consume: 11 million eggs, 550 tonnes of beef, 17 million pints of milk. “I recently met local farmers with the NFU to discuss the Government’s support for British agriculture and future export growth.” The animal products Mr. Jayawardena mentions are among the most environmentally damaging products produced on the planet, with 80 percent of all arable land used for grazing animals or growing animal feed. Campaigners called on Mr Jayawardena to now strengthen rules to protect the environment and tackle the sewage scandal. Rebecca Newsom, UK head of policy at Greenpeace, said: “A summer of outcry over our sewage-filled beaches should give the new Foreign Secretary pause for thought as he considers his priorities. The public wants to see our natural world improved, not further degraded through cuts to vital protections. “This new government should seek to strengthen rules aimed at stopping sewage polluting our rivers and coasts, keeping plastics out of our seas and preventing destructive fishing in our marine protected areas. These are not just red tapes that need to be cut. And far from being a blessing, the new Secretary of State may find that the main thing unleashed by cutting these protections is a wave of public outrage as our natural world is further degraded.”
