Archived press release

Assembly asked to act on climate

12 June 2007

Environmentalists called on the Assembly to agree to a new law on climate change today. As the deadline passed for public responses to a new Westminster Bill [1] that could see Ministers in court if they failed to cut carbon dioxide emissions, Friends of the Earth said that it is vital that the new law applies to Northern Ireland. The draft Climate Change Bill requires the UK to cut emissions by 60 per cent by 2050 and will impact across all sectors of the economy.

John Woods, Northern Ireland Director of Friends of the Earth, said:

"There is a clear moral imperative for Northern Ireland to do its bit to fight climate change that is already destroying the lives and livelihoods of millions of the poorest and must vulnerable people in the world."

Mr Woods continued:

"It is also in Northern Ireland's economic interest to set demanding targets for cutting the amount of carbon-dioxide we produce. High performing economies in the future will have to deal with sky high energy prices and heavy penalties for emitting carbon from fossil fuels like oil and coal. By cutting our emissions now, we will be preparing our businesses for the low-carbon economy of the future."

The issue is now in the hands of Environment Minister, Arlene Foster, who will need to agree the way forward with her Executive colleagues. She can recommend that the Assembly 'consents' to the UK Bill as a means of avoiding the burden of separate legislation. Friends of the Earth has made it clear in its submission on the Bill that legally binding emissions reduction targets should apply in Northern Ireland as elsewhere in the UK.

John Woods said he was hopeful that the Executive would respond positively to the idea of binding cuts in emissions. He commented:

"All of Northern Ireland's MPs [2] expressed their support for this new law when it was first raised in the House of Commons. They understand that people in Northern Ireland want to help avoid the catastrophic effects of ever-rising global temperatures. I believe they also understand that our economy will benefit from cutting emissions at a similar rate to the rest of the UK. I am urging their Executive colleagues to be equally progressive on this issue."

Friends of the Earth has now submitted its response to the draft Climate Change Bill to Government [3]. The origins of the Bill were in Friends of the Earth's 'Big Ask' Campaign which mobilised 135,000 people across the UK to lobby their MPs [4].

Notes

[1] Draft Climate Change Bill, DEFRA. March 2007

[2] 12 of Northern Ireland's MPs signed an Early Day Motion calling for a Bill; 1 MP expressed his support verbally; and 5, who do not take their seats at Westminster, signed a 'Climate Pledge' supporting the bill.

[3] Our response to the consultation on the draft Climate Change Bill

[4] The Big Ask

Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust