Archived press release

Alarm grows over climate review

27 March 2006

Environmentalists say that the Government’s long awaited review of its climate change strategy [1], to be published tomorrow, is in danger of selling Northern Ireland short.

Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett indicated yesterday [2] the strategy is still not complete, 18 months after it was launched. Mrs Beckett also stopped short of declaring that the review would ensure that the Government’s promise to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent by 2010 would be met [3]. The news has been met with alarm by Friends of the Earth, which renewed its call for a new law making the Government legally responsible for annual cuts in carbon dioxide [4].

Friends of the Earth’s Northern Ireland Director, John Woods, said

"Ministers must stop dithering on climate change. We urgently need a clear framework setting out exactly how the UK will meet its promise to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent by 2010, and by 60 per cent by 2050. And that means setting an emissions reduction target that will be legally binding on the Northern Ireland administration. This should be in the context of a new law requiring the Government to set out the policies that will deliver a cut in emissions of three per cent each year, with an annual carbon budget to ensure that we are kept on track - a measure already supported by most MPs. If we do this the UK could lead the rest of the world in the development of a low carbon, nuclear free economy. At the moment we have a piecemeal approach that is not delivering the cuts we need to make.”

The 20 per cent carbon dioxide reduction target has been repeated in all of Labour's last three General Election manifestos, and has been its flagship environmental goal since taking office in 1997. Having gained plaudits for this policy, Friends of the Earth argues that Government must now deliver - even if it means that difficult choices must be made [5].

Notes

[1] (back) The Climate Change Programme review and a plan of action for how the Government will tackle climate change over the next five to ten years was launched by Margaret Becket in September 2004 when it became clear that the Government's original programme, launched in 2000, would not deliver target cuts. The Review was originally due for publication in summer 2005 however delays have pushed back its release.

[2] (back) Jonathan Dimbleby programme Sunday 26 March 2006

[3] (back) In its General Election manifestos of 1997, 2001 and 2005 the Labour Party pledged to reduce UK emissions of carbon dioxide - the main greenhouse gas - by 20 per cent from 1990 levels by 2010. Tony Blair also put climate change top of the world agenda during the Presidency of the G8 and the EU in 2005.

[4] (back) Friends of the Earth's climate campaign, The Big Ask, is calling on the Government to introduce a climate law that would set a legally binding target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 3 per cent every year, monitored through an annual carbon budget. For more information see www.thebigask.com.

[5] (back) Go here for more information.

Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland
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BELFAST
BT1 2FN
Tel: 028 9023 3488
Fax: 028 9024 7556
Email: [email protected]

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust