Archived press release

Battle for green vote heats up

20 April 2006

Political parties must commit themselves to binding annual reductions in UK carbon dioxide emissions if they are serious about tackling climate change, Friends of the Earth said today. The call comes as David Cameron and Gordon Brown make key note speeches on the threat of global warming, and against a background of rising UK emissions of carbon dioxide. More than half of the UK's MPs are backing a new climate change law, called for in The Big Ask campaign [1], which would require successive government's to make three per cent cuts in emissions every year.

Gordon Brown is visiting the United States where he will be calling for international action on climate change. He will highlight the enormous economic and employment potential of investing in environmentally friendly technology and urge greater investment in clean sources of energy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and counter rising energy prices. The Chancellor told today's FT that the big issue "is whether politicians can move beyond words to talking about the substantial policies needed".

David Cameron is on a fact-finding visit to the arctic to see for him self the impacts of climate change. He is due to make a speech tomorrow (Friday) where he will outline the Conservative approach to climate change.

Friends of the Earth director Tony Juniper said:

"We are delighted that climate change is at the top of the political agenda. But it will require more than warm words to tackle the problem. UK emissions are rising, despite promise of substantial cuts. But we could be at the forefront in developing a low carbon, nuclear free economy and show the rest of the world the way forward in tackling this global crisis. This is why we need a new law, as called for in The Big Ask climate campaign, to make successive governments responsible for making annual cuts in carbon dioxide emissions. And there must be a political consensus on taking tough political action and developing the solutions that already exist.

"Gordon Brown has a crucial role to play in tackling climate change, and it is encouraging that he is making this a major theme of his latest trip abroad. But he has not given the issue sufficient priority at home. His Budgets could have played a major role in making it easier and cheaper for the public to cut their impacts on climate change. But he has merely tinkered in the margins. Green taxes have fallen under his chancellorship, while emissions have risen. Will the Chancellor move beyond words and deliver the substantive policies needed?"

"David Cameron has helped make environmental issues a key political issue. But he must come forward with the substantive policies that are desperately needed to tackle climate change. Mr Cameron must show that he is prepared to take on the vested interests from industry, and the aviation and motoring lobbies and spell out his blueprint for a safe, sustainable and successful economy.

Friends of the Earth is calling on the political parties to

• Support calls for a binding legal requirement on successive governments for a three per cent annual reduction in carbon dioxide levels. A draft bill, part of Friends of the Earth's The Big Ask campaign, already has widespread support, including most MPs;

• Agree to an annual carbon budget to ensure that climate change policies are kept on track;

• Set targets for reducing emissions from each sector (domestic, transport etc);

• Abandon plans for major increase in airport capacity and agree to make the cost of aviation reflect its environmental impact. This must include scrapping tax-breaks and subsidies that the aviation industry faces.

Note

1. www.thebigask.com

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust