Importing energy
The UK imports energy in the form of fossil fuels such as oil and gas, but there are ways in which it effectively imports energy by importing goods produced abroad with alternative sources of energy.
There is a case for the UK importing key goods like tomatoes from Spain, flowers from Kenya, or aluminium from countries using geothermal or hydroelectric power, rather than producing them domestically. It rests on efficiency, sustainability, and global economic integration.
Energy efficiency and a reduced carbon footprint can be achieved by climate-appropriate production. Growing tomatoes in heated UK greenhouses requires substantial fossil energy inputs. In contrast, growing them in Spain under natural sunlight requires little or no artificial heating or lighting, making the overall energy footprint lower, even after accounting for transport emissions.
For aluminium, which is extremely energy-intensive to produce, sourcing it from countries with abundant renewable energy countries such as Iceland and Canada, dramatically reduces the carbon footprint per tonne compared to UK or EU smelters relying on fossil fuels.
It is often more sustainable to fly flowers from Kenya using solar energy and minimal heating than to grow them in energy-hungry European greenhouses. Spain has a climatic and logistical advantage in tomato production; Kenya excels in cut flowers due to its equatorial location and access to cheap renewable energy. Countries with hydro/geothermal power, such as Iceland, Norway and Canada can produce aluminium more cheaply and cleanly.
By importing these goods, the UK can concentrate on sectors where it has a comparative advantage, which include services, pharmaceuticals and technology, rather than artificially supporting energy-inefficient agriculture or manufacturing.
The policy would increase resource and land use optimization. Importing water- and energy-intensive goods allows the UK to conserve land, water, and energy, which are often constrained, and allocate them to more sustainable or high-value uses.
Attempting to grow all produce domestically year-round would require vast amounts of heated greenhouses and artificial lighting, leading to resource waste and potentially higher overall emissions.
Transport emissions are often overestimated. Sea freight and even air freight (in the case of flowers) can be surprisingly efficient, especially when contrasted with the emissions from intensive domestic production under artificial conditions. A locally-grown UK tomato in winter may have a higher carbon footprint than a Spanish tomato shipped by lorry or boat.
Sourcing flowers from Kenya or produce from developing countries contributes to economic development, employment, and poverty reduction in those regions. It supports livelihoods.
By embracing imports from energy-rich or climate-advantaged countries, the UK can lower global carbon emissions, promote sustainable global agriculture and industry, free up domestic resources for more strategic uses, and support global development goals.
The UK should adopt a climate-smart trade policy, recognizing that importing goods from countries with natural energy advantages often delivers lower emissions, greater efficiency, and global equity than striving for artificial self-sufficiency.
Madsen Pirie