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Brown ignores the environment.again

17 March 2004

Friends of the Earth today hit out at the Government after Gordon Brown failed to introduce significant measures to tackle climate change in his Budget. Last month Tony Blair told MPs that he thought climate change was the biggest long term-threat the planet faces [1].

In today's Budget the Chancellor stressed the importance of taking long term decisions, but did almost nothing to reduce environmental damage from transport and aviation - the fastest growing sectors of climate changing emissions [2].

  • He failed to increase Vehicle Excise Duty on the biggest gas-guzzling cars;

  • He failed to increase Air Passenger Duty (APD) for outward flights from the UK;

  • He did increase Road Fuel Duty - but not enough to curb the rise of climate-changing emissions from motoring. He also indicated that there would be increased spending on transport, but with an emphasis on road rather than of public transport.

Friends of the Earth's director Tony Juniper said:

"This Budget has practically ignored the environment. Tony Blair says that climate change is the biggest long term threat the planet faces. But, once again his Chancellor has chickened out of tackling it. The alarm bells are ringing, but Gordon Brown isn't listening."

Additionally there was a failure to announce new measures to

  • Discourage incineration, or encourage recycling;

  • Replace the failing `voluntary initiative' to reduce pesticide use with a pesticide tax;

Notes

1. www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmselect/ ¬
cmliaisn/uc310-i/uc31002.htm
See question 87

2. The Chancellor should spend road fuel duty increases on improving the alternatives to motoring. See: www.waytogo.org.uk

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust

 

 

Last modified: Jun 2008