Greens welcome "opportunity" from draft Climate Change Bill to set CO2 reduction targets - but ask how will this roadbuilding, airport expanding, Government deliver?

13 March 2007

The Government has published its draft Climate Change Bill which if it becomes law will for the first time set down legally binding targets for reducing CO2 emissions - by 60% by 2050 (on a baseline of 1990). The Green Party has long campaigned for binding targets.

However, the Greens ask how this will be achieved by a Government that is:

Persisting with plans for more road building and airport expansion; Missing many of its own climate change targets (CO2 has gone UP under Labour); Under heavy criticism from the Sustainable Development Commission for allowing many of its own departments to increase their CO2 emissions and energy use; Failing to deliver a workable framework for low carbon new developments; Overseeing a farcical grants system for domestic renewable energy.

The draft Bill promises: Targets to reduce carbon emissions by 60% by 2050, from 1990 levels, and between 26% and 32% by 2020 Greater energy efficiency, with more consumers becoming "producers" of their own energy at home Investment in low-carbon fuels and technologies, such as carbon capture and storage, wind, wave and solar power Carbon "budgets" - which cap emissions levels - set every five years The government reporting annually to Parliament on its progress in controlling emissions Under the proposals, an independent body would advise on the setting of carbon budgets.

Green Party Principal speaker Siân Berry said

"We have heard the rhetoric about renewables and energy efficiency many times before. It won't happen without real action, and current government support for renewable energy has descended into a farce."

Elected Greens have been at the forefront of pushing for emissions cuts and proper funding of energy efficiency and climate change mitigation. Norwich City Council passed (on Jan. 30 2007) a motion from the Green Party for year-on-year reductions in carbon emissions of 6%. At Norfolk County Council, the Green Party group made an innovative budget proposal last month for a Climate Change Mitigation fund to be established with £2.4million this year and over £5million in future years - there was wide support for the concept at the Council budget debate and Green councillors are now urging for this to be seriously developed for future budgets.

Green Party Norfolk County Councillor Andrew Boswell said

"It is good to see a Climate Change Bill at last. However, it really needs teeth - the cuts needed to keep global temperatures from rising two degrees above pre-industrial levels are 8-9% annually, but the Government is only talking around 2%. The Greens in Norfolk are leading the way: we have achieved a motion for 6% annual cuts, a good start, at City Hall, and we have started a debate on real investment to protect the climate at County Hall."

Green Party Norwich City Councillor Rupert Read added

"Gordon Brown must remember the Stern report that he helped launch just a few months ago. Massive investment is needed to tackle dangerous climate change, and the Government must lead the way. Revenue from taxes under the Climate Change Bill must go back into protecting the climate for future generations - also Mr Brown should stop supporting the renewal of Britain's Trident nuclear weapons system, and put the money into developing renewable energy instead. £76billion on new nuclear weapons of mass destruction does not bring security against climate chaos or against non-state terrorism, the real threats facing us today."