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Budget 2005: fine words but little action on climate change
16 March 2005
Gordon Brown failed to put climate change at the heart of today's Budget, despite a strong speech yesterday warning that excluding environmental issues "including climate change" from economic policy "is no longer tenable".
Friends of the Earth welcomed the Chancellor speech on Tuesday, but the measures announced in the Budget today - including the freezing of petrol duty until September - do nothing to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Friends of the Earth called on the Chancellor to take urgent action after the general election and follow his own advice of putting climate change at the heart of UK economic policy. In his speech to a roundtable of international energy and environment ministers yesterday Mr Brown said: "I believe that climate change is an issue for finance and economic ministries as much as for energy and environmental ones - and why all these parts of individual national governments - and indeed all governments internationally - must work together to tackle it."
Friends of the Earth's director, Tony Juniper said:
"Today's Budget is more about winning the next general election than tackling climate change. Gordon Brown made a powerful speech earlier this week calling for environmental issues to be central to economic decisions. What a pity he hasn't followed his own advice today.This Budget does nothing to cut greenhouse gas emissions."
"The good news is that Gordon Brown has recognised the need for concerted action across the economy to tackle global warming. But time is running out. If the UK is to meet its carbon dioxide reduction targets it must start cutting emissions year on year immediately. This has to be an urgent priority for the Government after the General election."
Commenting on the freezing of fuel duty, Mr Juniper said:
"The cost of motoring has fallen under Labour. Freezing fuel duty will only lead to more pollution and more climate changing emissions."
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Jun 2008
