Archived press release

Blair u-turn on climate change

26 September 2005

Friends of the Earth has challenged Tony Blair to clarify his position on climate change at the start of the Labour Party Conference, following comments made by the Prime Minister at a conference in New York.

The environmental campaign group said the Prime Minister appeared to be undermining international efforts to tackle climate change during a debate hosted by former US President Bill Clinton.

Speaking at the US conference earlier this month - and widely reported in Sunday's newspapers [2] - the Prime Minister appeared to shift toward a more Bush-friendly view of tackling global warming: against treaties and targets for cutting emissions and toward technological solutions.

The shift in position follows Blair's failed attempts to get international leaders to agree to act on climate change at the G8 Summit in Scotland. Despite making climate change a priority for the Summit, George Bush refused to agree to action and now seems to have persuaded the British Prime Minister to share his views.

Blair told the audience: "I would say probably I'm changing my thinking about this".

"The truth is no country is going to cut its growth or consumption substantially in the light of a long-term environmental problem. What countries are prepared to do is to try to work together cooperatively to deal with this problem in a way that allows us to develop the science and technology in a beneficial way"

To be honest, I don't think people are going, at least in the short term, going to start negotiating another major treaty like Kyoto"

Friends of the Earth's director, Tony Juniper said:

"The Prime Minister's apparent backsliding on climate change is very worrying. Labour's credibility on global warming is in danger at home because of rising emissions. Now Tony Blair isrisking the UK's international leadership by appearing to back a voluntary push for technology with no legal targets or timetables.

"Tony Blair must clarify his position. It is just a matter of months until the crucial climate talks in Montreal which represent a vital opportunity for the international community to take action on climate change. If we fail to tackle this threat, the economic and human costs for the entire world will be immense."

Crucial talks on Kyoto's development post 2012 are scheduled to take place in Montreal at the end of November this year. Europe has an important role to play in the negotiations which will determine how carbon emissions can be reduced in coming years.

The US administration has opposed the Kyoto climate treat which sets targets for cutting emissions, preferring instead a way forward that involves technology-led solutions.

The current Kyoto treaty runs from 2008-2012. Negotiations on a post-Kyoto climate treaty begin in Montreal in November.

The UK's domestic climate strategy is failing. Targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions are off-track, and earlier this month Friends of the earth revealed that the UK may not even meet its Kyoto target [3]. A review of the Government's climate strategy is due at the end of the year.

Notes

Blair U-turn on Climate Change

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/green/story/0,9061,1578037,00.html

www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1796800,00.html

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/environment/article314991.ece

http://comment.independent.co.uk/leading_articles/article314892.ece]

www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/ ¬
emissions_breach_kyoto_tar_02092005.html

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust