Archived press release

Climate advisor's call for radical decarbonisation of electricity sector welcomed

7 December 2010

The Government must heed today's (Tuesday 7 December 2010) call by its official climate change advisor for the radical decarbonisation and reform of the electricity market, says Friends of the Earth.

The environmental campaigning charity says that imminent Government policy announcements must fast-track the greening of the power sector and show that the Government is serious about being the greenest administration ever. In the next two weeks Ministers are due to publish an Energy Bill - as well as proposals for planning reform and a shake-up of the electricity sector.

In its 4th Carbon Budget Report, published today, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) urges a ten-fold reduction in carbon emissions from the electricity sector by 2030, which Friends of the Earth is calling on the Government to accept.

The Committee also called on Ministers to increase the UK's mandatory 2020 climate change target to a 37 per cent cut in emissions (based on 1990 levels)  and for a 60 per cent cut in emissions by 2030. Friends of the Earth says both these targest are too weak to enable this country to play its part in averting dangerous global temperature rises. The environmental campaign charity says that the UK should cut its emissions by at least 42 per cent by 2020, regardless of what other nations do.

Friends of the Earth's economy campaigner, Simon Bullock, said:

"The Government's official climate advisor has rightly called for radical decarbonisation of the UK's electricity sector - Ministers must now show that they mean business by ensuring that this is at the very heart of this week's Energy Bill, and imminent reforms of the electricity market and planning system.

"It is clear that there can be no future for gas or coal generation unless all their emissions are captured.

"The Committee's call for tougher climate targets - without resorting to buying carbon offsets from abroad - is a step in the right direction, but its recommendations are still too weak, and won't enable the UK to do its fair share in averting dangerous climate change.

"The proposed new targets are based on a 50:50 chance of exceeding a two degree rise in global temperature - a massive gamble with the fate of hundreds of millions of people.

"We can't afford to play Russian roulette with our future - tougher targets are urgently needed."

The environmental campaign organisation also welcomed the Committee's call for action to cut emissions from agriculture. Friends of the Earth is calling for the Government to take steps to make our food and farming sector more planet-friendly.

ENDS

Notes to editors

The CCC report can be found here:

www.theccc.org.uk

2. Friends of the Earth welcomed many of the recommendations in the report, including:

·         The clear statement that the electricity sector must be radically decarbonised by 2030 - a 10 fold reduction in emissions on today's levels. The  campaigning charity is urging the Government to accept this target, and strengthen its policies to meet it, particularly on Electricity Market Reform.

·         The insistence that UK greenhouse gas reduction targets should be met by domestic action, without recourse to buying dodgy offset credits from abroad.
·         The extension of recommended targets to 2030 - these will give certainty to investors. 

·         The CCC's acknowledgment that we need more radical measures to reduce emissions from agriculture and its recognition that we can't continue to rely on voluntary initiatives.

But Friends of the Earth warned that  the Committee's strategy is still based upon a greater than 50:50 chance of exceeding a two degree temperature rise. This is a colossal gamble: the Government has said its goal is to prevent a two degree temperature rise, not have a coin's-toss chance of exceeding it. The Copenhagen climate science synthesis report said that "temperature rises above 2oC will be difficult for contemporary societies to cope with, and are likely to cause major societal and environmental disruptions through the rest of the century and beyond" and that two degrees have significant risks.

3. The current 2020 climate chage target is for a 34 per cent cut in emissions.

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

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust