The Guardian view on a post-Covid recovery: not much building back greener | Editorial

If Boris Johnson wants to permanently shift the UK on to a trajectory to meet its climate targets, he must deliver a new zero-carbon infrastructure. There's no sign of that yetBoris Johnson does not want a crisis to go to waste. The coronavirus-induced recession is widely accepted as an opportunity to reset and rebuild the economy to take the environmental challenge seriously. Radical green policies that once seemed impossible - such as shutting down airports and closing off roads - have been implemented overnight with public support. Now that the economy is reopening, Mr Johnson's political goal is to produce policies that chime with the nation's mood. He says he will "build back greener". What Mr Johnson's phrase means for the country will only become clear when his policies emerge.His government's first big announcement is a small step in the right direction. Rishi Sunak, the chancellor, will incentivise home insulation with a ?2bn grant scheme so that homeowners can decrease the amount of heat lost through roofs, walls and floors. This will bring jobs back to local economies, with companies providing a labour-intensive service in a post-Covid-19 world suffering from extremely high levels of unemployment. Continue reading...