Archived press release

Low Carbon Summit - Urgent green investment programme needed

6 March 2009

A fundamental and comprehensive overhaul of the entire economy is urgently required if Ministers are serious about delivering a low carbon future and playing a leading role in tackling climate change, Friends of the Earth said today.

The environmental campaign group says that the Government must invest at least an extra £20 billion annually over the next ten years in energy efficiency, green transport systems and renewable energy.

The call coincides with the Government's Low Carbon Economy Summit, which was jointly hosted this morning by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Business Secretary Peter Mandelson and Climate Secretary Ed Miliband.

Friends of the Earth is urging the Government to seize the unique opportunity to simultaneously tackle the twin challenges of a huge economic downturn and the urgent need to cut the UK's contribution to global climate change. This should be based on huge programmes to reduce energy waste and the development of the renewable energy sector, which will also create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and exciting business opportunities in the process.

Friends of the Earth's Executive Director, Andy Atkins, who attended the summit, said:

"The Government must seize this unique and historic opportunity to simultaneously tackle the economic and environmental challenges we face by kick- starting a green industrial revolution.

"Slashing energy waste and developing the UK's vast renewable energy potential will cut our emissions, create hundreds of thousands of new green jobs and make us a world leader in tackling climate change.

"This summit is an encouraging development, but Ministers must grasp the scale of the challenge we face. We need urgent and decisive action, not more token gestures and hot air.

"Gordon Brown must show that he is serious about developing a low carbon future by agreeing to cut UK emissions by at least 42 per cent by 2020, and ensuring that measures to tackle climate change are at the heart of next month's Budget."

The environmental campaign group is also calling in the Government to demonstrate its commitment to championing a green future in the next few weeks by:

• Committing to cut UK greenhouse gas emissions by 42 per cent by 2020 when it sets its medium term climate change targets in early April - with these cuts all made at home, not through buying overseas carbon credits.
• Ensuring that measures to tackle climate change are at the heart of next month's Budget. Friends of the Earth says that the Government must invest at least an extra £20 billion annually over the next ten years in developing a low carbon economy.

Notes:

1. The Government is hosting its low carbon economy summit with the CBI and TUC on Friday morning in London. This will bring together leaders from business, Government and other key stakeholders for a debate on how we build a low carbon future in which UK businesses can thrive. The Government's low carbon industrial strategy is expected in the late summer.

2. Under the Climate Change Act which was passed last year - and which Friends of the Earth led the campaign for through The Big Ask - the UK is legally required to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050.

A series of five year 'greenhouse gas budgets' is due to be announced in April. The Committee on Climate Change has recommended that the Government should commit "unilaterally to reducing emissions of all greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the UK by at least 34% in 2020 relative to 1990 levels (21% relative to 2005). This should be increased to 42% relative to 1990 (31% relative to 2005) once a global deal to reduce emissions is achieved." http://www.theccc.org.uk/news/press-releases/22-ccc-recommends-a-minimum-34-space¬
cut-in-greenhouse-gas-emissions-by-2020-1st-december-2008

Friends of the Earth says that the UK should commit itself to the 42 per cent target now because the latest science indicates that the industrialised world must cut its emissions by at least 40 per cent by 2020 if we are to avoid a climate catastrophe. It would also boost our credibility and sway ahead of crucial UN climate negotiations in Copenhagen later this year.

3. The Budget is a golden opportunity for the Government to develop a green economy. Billions of pounds are expected to be invested in measures to tackle the recession. This is likely to be a unique opportunity to target large sums of money towards initiatives that tackle both the economic environmental challenges we face. Friends of the Earth will be advocating a number of measures that the Chancellor should adopt.

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