The economy is quite important. We should be spending to encourage economic activity, not to pacify environment activists with schemes which will achieve nothing but harm the economy and society.
My buildings insurance just went up from 2k to 8k for our 8 apartment block as the BGS has upgraded its assessment of subsidence risk in swathes of London including all of Lambeth. I had a row with the broker who told me, get used to it - real climate change costs are on the way and insurers are moving fast to understand risk having seen subsidence claims go up.
You and many others might say insurers would say that wouldn’t they - except I looked into it all and it is all correct.
I am still arguing with them on quantum obviously but people who think the economy will benefit or not be made worse from climate change should look at what is starting to drip through already and be very careful to dismiss most of the worlds scientists, our Government, the UN and the IPCC as ‘environmental activists’.
If you want a railway example, just go and look at the NR video taking about flooding events on the Conwy line, the incidence and severity of those events and the work they are having to do on the tunnel as a result.
I personally don’t think we need full electrification with OHL but we do need to figure out what we are doing with the rest. I suspect there will be several viable options once we have sorted through the various hydrogen, battery, hybrid demonstrator evidence.