The Liberal Vannin party says they are ’extremely concerned’ that the government is using the new climate bill to ’greenwash’ over their ’almost complete lack’ of action on climate change.

The Bill, which was approved for its third reading in the House of Keys this week, comes after the government declared a climate emergency in 2019.

It aims to make legislative provision for the setting of interim targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, along with provisions for the enhancement of natural carbon storage and the imposing of climate change duties on public bodies.

Lib Vannin MHK Lawrie Hooper tabled 21 amendments to the Bill last week, in an attempt to drive Tynwald to be ’more ambitious in its aims’ - one of his main calls was for the government to bring their zero carbon emissions target forward from 2050 to 2035, which was rejected by MHKs.

Lib Vannin pointed out that the second reading debate was described as a ’farce’ by MHKs.

The party stated: ’CoMin and Tynwald are lacking in ambition with this Climate Change Bill and that it will now be up to MHKs elected in the coming general election in September to urgently revisit the Bill once it is enacted.

’Tynwald has effectively kicked the can down the road because current Ministers are not prepared to take the necessary measures to develop green jobs on the island or recognise that the vast majority of island residents want our government to take more urgent action on this issue.’