Rees-Mogg appointed business and energy secretary

Jacob Rees-Mogg has been appointed as secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy.

The appointment of the colourful Etonian to the role, which includes overseeing the UK’s decarbonisation strategy, is likely to raise eyebrows because of his support for fossil fuels and past comments indicating he is sceptical of climate change.

Rees-Mogg in April told LBC: “We want to get more oil out of the North Sea, we want to get more gas out of the North Sea […] We need to be thinking about extracting every last cubic inch of gas from the North Sea.”

In a Telegraph article in 2013 he said: “It is widely accepted that carbon dioxide emissions have risen but the effect on the climate remains much debated.”

Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, described Rees-Mogg as the “worst possible candidate at the worst possible moment”.

Rees-Mogg will be responsible for leading the UK’s efforts to meet the target of net zero emissions by 2050.

However, the government also announced today that Graham Stuart has been appointed climate change minister under Rees-Mogg and will attend cabinet.

Stuart’s appointment is being seen as a counter balance to Rees-Mogg. Stuart has written about the importance of tackling climate change previously saying: “the next decade will be decisive, and every country, government, business and citizen must come together to tackle this huge threat to our planet and humanity.  

The announcement comes amid calls from the housing sector for a national scheme to retrofit the United Kingdom’s housing stock.

A group of 22 senior housing figures this week signed a letter to Truss calling on her government to help residents with the cost-of-living crisis. Among the asks was a call to ”commit to bring forward additional funding for energy efficiency measures in homes.”

Among the signatories was Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, Gavin Smart, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing and Geeta Nanda, chair of the G15.

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The UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) called for a “major energy efficiency drive” in buildings including homes.

Simon McWhiter, director of communications, policy and places at UKGBC, said: ”The Prime Minister can fix many problems by announcing a national programme to upgrade our buildings and shift our heating systems from gas to renewable energy.

”Not only will it reduce the need for government borrowing, the skilled jobs and economic boost this would bring would make a real contribution to levelling up and national recovery.”