The Government's predicted compliance with its carbon dioxide stabilisation target will be by default and not by design, Friends of the Earth said today. The Government's revised energy projections, published today(1), demonstrate that compliance will be achieved irrespective of action under its troubled Climate Change Programme (CCP).

Dr Patrick Green, Friends of the Earth's Senior Energy and Climate Campaigner said today;

"Rather than herald this as a significant achievement, the Government should be deeply embarrassed that it has been unable to achieve even the modest CO2 reductions envisaged under its Climate Change Programme."

The Government's revised energy projections show that the predicted compliance will largely be as a result of reduced energy demand due to the recession and higher than anticipated output by gas (CCGTs) and nuclear generators. Contrary to Government statements this is not an achievement which reflects the impacts of its Climate Change Programme.(2) The expected impact on carbon dioxide emissions was dependent on the imposition of VAT on domestic fuel at the full rate of 17.5% and the resolution of the funding problems of the Energy Saving Trust.

In Friends of the Earth's view, the revised projections provide no grounds for complacency. Other newly published independent predictions suggest that carbon dioxide emissions will be larger than claimed by Government and indicate that the Government may in fact fail to achieve the stabilisation target.(3)

Further, the Government's capacity to achieve any post 2000 reductions in carbon dioxide emissions will be dependent on building upon its current Climate Change Programme. This necessitates a resolution to the funding problems of the Energy Saving Trust.

CONTACT: Dr Patrick Green 071 490 0224 (wk), 0385 236 973 (mobile)

PAGE 2 FRIENDS OF THE EARTH In Friends of the Earth's view, the Government's call for developed countries to agree carbon dioxide cuts of up to 10% by 2010 is also inadequate to combat the threat of climate change.(4)

The call ignores the plea from small island states vulnerable to sea level rise, in the run-up to the First Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change in Berlin, for a global 20% cut in carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2005.(5)

Dr Patrick Green concluded;

"The Government's attitude to the threat of climate change is complacent in the extreme. By only calling for modest cuts in CO2 emissions, it has missed a major opportunity to demonstrate international leadership to tackle a significant threat to the global environment."

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. Energy Projections for the UK: Energy Use and Energy- Related Emissions of Carbon Dioxide in the UK, 1995-2020, Energy Paper 65, Department of Trade and Industry March 1995.

2. United Kingdom on Course to Meet its Rio Carbon Targets, Department of the Environment News Release, 8 March 1995.

3. UK Energy and the Environment, Cambridge Econometrics, January 1995.

4. UK Call for Further Commitment to Combat Climate Change, Department of the Environment News Release, 8 March 1995.

5. Draft Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction, Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), 25 April 1994.

CONTACT: Dr Patrick Green 071 490 0224 (wk) 0385 236 973 (mb) 071 241 3804 (hm),