Let’s make the Queen’s Speech an event to remember – by finally taking action to tackle the climate crisis

Our current course is taking us towards climate catastrophe. We need an urgent change of direction, says Caroline Lucas. This is what the government should do

The Queen’s Speech will open parliament on 11 May as the climate emergency needs an urgent change of direction (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

At the state opening of parliament this week, we will hear the first Queen’s Speech of this decade – a decade that is the most important ever when it comes to the climate emergency.

As President Joe Biden said at the global leaders’ climate summit last month: “This is the decade we must make the decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis”.

Our current course, marked by a few recent pledges, but no plan to deliver them, is taking us towards climate catastrophe. We need an urgent change of direction.