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BROWN CALLS FOR ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Mar 15 2005

The Chancellor today warned a roundtable of international energy and environment ministers that economic growth cannot ignore the environment. He called for international action on climate change, which he described as "the most far-reaching - almost certainly the most threatening - of all the environmental challenges facing us" and said it should also be an issue for finance and economic ministries.

Friends of the Earth welcomed today's speech, but warned Gordon Brown that the UK must do more to show international leadership on the issue, including meeting the Government's own targets for cutting carbon dioxide levels. CO2 levels have not fallen since Labour came to power and the Government is not on track to meet its promise of cutting carbon dioxide by 20 per cent of 1990 levels by 2010. The environmental group challenged the Chancellor to demonstrate his commitment to tackling the problem by putting global warming at the heart of tomorrow's Budget.

Friends of the Earth's director Tony Juniper said:

"This speech by Gordon Brown is crucially important. The world cannot afford to continue to ignore environmental issues in its pursuit of economic growth. Unless we take urgent action it will be too late. The Chancellor must now seize the initiative by announcing measures in his Budget to tackle global warming and establish the UK as genuine leader on fighting this issue.

"Climate change is the biggest danger the planet faces. The world must embrace the opportunities offered by renewable energy, energy efficiency and new technologies and move away from coal, oil and gas. If we don't adapt to the challenges we face,the terrible consequences will be felt by generations to come."

Friends of the Earth welcomed:

• Gordon Brown's promise to explore how Government and business can remove barriers to the development of energy services markets in the UK;
• His challenge to industry to put in place a long-term framework to meet our climate change goals in the most cost-effective way ;

That climate change is also an issue of environmental justice, "It is a problem caused by the industrialised countries, whose effects will disproportionately fall on developing countries".

Friends of the Earth is calling on the Chancellor to adopt a range of measures in the Budget to combat climate. Measures should include:

• the establishment of annual `carbon accounts' for the UK. This would assess progress towards UK carbon dioxide reduction targets;
• reforming Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) to reduce tax on the most fuel efficient vehicles, and increase it for gas-guzzlers. Friends of the Earth wants Mr Brown to introduce four new road tax bands - with £50 between each band - to encourage people to buy less-polluting cars. VED for the most polluting cars should be raised to £500 per year (within 5 years), with the cleanest, most fuel-efficient cars charged no VED (starting now);
• introducing measures to force retailers of road and heating fuels to substitute fossil fuels with renewables;
• encouraging householders to go green. This should include financial incentives for installing renewable energy - such as solar panels - in the home; stamp duty reductions for energy-efficient homes and VAT reductions on energy efficient products;
• increasing fuel duty in line with inflation - at the very least - each year; with the money raised used to promote real alternatives - better public transport and streets safe for walking and cycling, particularly for children;
• raising air passenger duty, to start tackling the spiraling environmental damage from aviation;
• making retailers of road and heating fuels to substitute fossil fuels with renewables;

Further details on Friends of the Earth's blueprint for a green Budget

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