Archived press release

Tory green manifesto: "nice bit of green, shame about the grey"

27 March 1997

Friends of the Earth today (27/3/97) welcomed the Conservative Party's decision to publish a specific green manifesto for the first time during a general election [1] and applauded the pledges to introduce new green taxes on water polluters and impose obligatory leakage reduction targets on water companies [2].

However, Friends of the Earth is deeply disappointed with the manifesto as a whole which mostly restates existing policies and relies too heavily on voluntary measures to tackle pollution, waste and habitat protection. The manifesto is also devoid of tough new targets and timetables for essential action by Government and industry to curb global warming, to green intensive agriculture, to strengthen legal protection for Britain's most important wildlife reserves (Sites of Special Scientific Interest), to reduce waste and promote recycling and reuse, and to introduce Statutory Water Quality Objectives. [See Note 2 for full details]

Charles Secrett, Executive Director of Friends of the Earth, said:

"Over all, we are deeply disappointed by the lack of tough new targets and programmes of action to curb pollution and waste and to protect key wildlife habitats. There is too much of the dirty old grey approach and not nearly enough sparkling new green commitments.

But we warmly applaud the specific pledges to extend green tax reform with new charges on water polluters and to impose obligatory targets to reduce leaks by water companies. To be effective, the worst types of pollution and the most polluting companies must be hit hardest. The fact that these announcements were made jointly by John Gummer and Kenneth Clarke is symbolically important - will Gordon Brown ever do the same for Michael Meacher?

The Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives have now published specific green manifestos for the first time during a general election. This is important and confirms that the environmental agenda matters politically - at least for two of the major parties. When are Labour going to follow suit? Labour has many good environmental policies and tough targets. But unless they come up with a strong green manifesto, they will alienate voters in key social groups who want environmental leadership from Government."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] 'Leadership Abroad, Responsibility at Home', 27 March 1997, Conservative Party

[2] Other new commitments include: establishing "a new Environmental Audit Commission"to voluntarily raise standards of environmental audit and reporting (page 14); "doubling the current level of support for Countryside Stewardship" (a public expenditure increase, page 20); "the development of effective Estuary Management Plans" (page 21); and, increasing energy saving grants for "a further 400,000 households" in the first year alone (a public expenditure increase, page 26).

[3] Key flaws in the Conservatives' green manifesto 'Leadership Abroad, Responsibility at Home' include:

Climate Change

The UK is not accepting its share of responsibility for climate change. At the EU Council of Ministers in March, the UK Government only agreed to a 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, while Germany, Denmark and Austria have accepted cuts of 25% each (even though all these countries have already done far more on energy efficiency and have better public transport systems). The UK should aim to achieve a cut of 20% in greenhouse gas emissions by 2005.

Recycling

Recycling figures published by the Audit Commission show that most local authorities - both Labour and Conservative - have made little or no progress towards meeting the Government's target of recycling 25 per cent of household waste by the year 2000.Currently the average recycling rate is about 5%. 38 local authorities are still recycling less than 2%, and four are doing no recycling at all. In Ontario, Canada, many areas have recycling targets of 70% to 80%, and have already achieved rates over 60%.

Water

Binding leakage targets for water companies are welcome but won't be enough to save our aquatic wildlife sites unless tough water demand management measures are put in place.At least 354 wildlife sites throughout the UK (including 201 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and 101 rivers) have been identified as under threat from over-abstraction of water.Sites include Thorne Moor in Yorkshire, the River Kennet in Wiltshire and Redgrave and Lopham fen in Suffolk. The Conservatives have also failed to deliver on their earlier promises of Statutory Water Quality Objectives.

Housing

The Conservative target for brownfield development of "60% or even more" is an increase on the previous target of 50%. This is a welcome move in the right direction, but Friends of the Earth is calling for 75%, as endorsed by the UK Roundtable on Sustainable Development.

Smogs

The Conservatives are saying that they will eliminate summertime smogs by 2005 but the air quality strategy will still allow 10 days per year exceedances of the Government health standard for ozone by 2005.

Vehicles

While the Conservatives have reduced tax duties to promote cleaner vehicles and fuels,they are blocking concerted European action by:
* opposing a ban on leaded fuel from 2000,
* not supporting German/Austrian/Dutch calls for tougher limits for sulphur in fuel than those proposed by the European Commission.
* resisting the setting of emissions limits now for 2005 - calling for more research

Environmentally-Friendly Farming

The Conservatives have failed to ban organo-phosphate pesticides despite dangers to health, the environment and groundwater. Only 0.2% of UK farmland is organic compared to 0.3% for France, 0.5% for Denmark. 0.8% for Germany and 1.4% for Finland. Countries like Austria and Germany have much more generous grants available for conversion. 6%of Austria is organic, it is predicted to achieve 50% by 2005.

Countryside Expenditure

Total spending by MAFF on agri-environment projects is approximately 65 -70 million compared to 3bn on CAP subsidies/support/set-aside etc. Total support for organic farming is 1.5 million in total; several large arable farmers received cheques in excess of that total for set-aside and arable area compensation payments: ie for doing nothing! Water companies annually pass on costs to customers of 121 million for stripping out pesticides(plus an initial 1 billion investment in equipment) and 24 million for stripping out nitrate.
Arguing that Environmentally Sensitive Areas "now cover 15% of our land" is typical MAFF speak - the reality is that ESA grants are available on 15% of the land but that take-up will only be around a third of that, perhaps 5-7%.

Biotechnology

The Conservatives have failed to address the issue of genetically modified organisms(GMOs). The UK should join Austria and Luxembourg in banning imports of GMO maize under Article 16 of the EU Directive on Release of Gentically Engineered Organisms as health and environmental concerns have not been fully addressed. Mandatory labelling of all GE-foodstuffs and a moratorium on growing and marketing GE-crops/foodstuffs pending additional public and environmental safeguards are vital.

Energy Conservation

The Conservatives have pledged to give grants to improve energy saving in 400,000 households in their first year of Government, but this must be set against an actual cut in energy saving budgets from 128.5 million in 95/96 to 113.7 million in 96/97.

ENDS

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