Archived press release

Industry gets easy ride as climate targets disappear into the distance

6 May 2004

The Government's climate policy is in disarray today after its plans to impose limits (caps) on industrial emissions of carbon dioxide were watered down. The move will be an embarrassment to Tony Blair who last week said that, in the long term, climate change was probably "the single most important issue that we face as a global community "[1].

Friends of the Earth's climate campaigner Bryony Worthington Pearce said:

"Tony Blair is failing to take effective action to tackle climate change. Plans to limit industrial emissions of carbon dioxide have been watered down, and Government promises to cut emissions by 20 per cent now appear to be nothing more than a distant dream. Ministers must now say where carbon dioxide savings can be made to get us back on track. Will they get tough on transport and the domestic sector, or bottle out yet again from taking effective action to tackle the single most important issue that we face as a global community?"

The Government today announced the 'carbon caps' it would impose on industry as part of the EU emissions trading scheme aimed at meeting targets for reducing climate change [2]. The UK Government has promised a 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide by 2010 (based on 1990 levels).

Earlier this year the Government calculated that, with existing policies, the UK will achieve a 16.3 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide levels by 2010, and proposed carbon dioxide caps for industry in line with these projections. The Government today predicted that the UK will only achieve a 15.2 per cent cut, but rather than placing tougher limits on industry, where the most cost effective savings can be made, it has watered down its environmental ambitions and seemingly abandoned its climate change pledge [3, 4].

The announcement will inevitably be seen as an example of the UK failing to demonstrate the courage to put its commitments on climate change into practice and will do little to encourage other countries to take effective measures to fight global warming. Earlier today Environment Minister, Margaret Beckett, described emissions trading "as the best tool to limit carbon emissions" [5].

The Government has limited options to get back on track. Either more savings need to be made in the transport sector- introducing renewable fuels into the petrol supply could for example save approx 1 million tonnes of carbon per annum (MtC p.a.) by 2008. Or savings from the domestic sector where, despite years of investment in energy efficiency, total energy demand and emissions continue to rise.

Notes

1. www.number-10.gov.uk/output/page5716.asp

www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/ ¬
blair_must_set_tough_clima_27042004.html

2. Under the EU emissions trading scheme member states have to set limits for the amount of carbon dioxide pollution - the main greenhouse gas - that key industries can produce. Companies will then be able to buy and sell emission rights within the EU bloc.

3. In February this year the Government revealed that carbon dioxide levels had jumped by 1.5 % over the previous year. This is largely as a result of a rise in the demand for energy, and an increase in coal burning. Carbon dioxide levels are currently only 7.5 % below 1990 levels. When Labour came to power they were 7.3 % below, a 0.2 % reduction in six years. See:

www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/ ¬
government_failing_to_tack_27042004.html

4. The difference between the Government's 20 per cent target and the revised 15.2 per cent projection announced today is 8 million tonnes more of carbon emissions (1.8MtC more than in January). If targets are to be met, new savings will have to be achieved with new policies. How they intend to do this isn't obvious. To put it in context the whole of the renewables obligation is expected to deliver only 2 MtC by 2010 and the environmental target announced today for this emissions trading scheme is only 1.5 MtC by 2008.

5. DEFRA press release (6 May) Beckett in Washington: Global co-operation needed to tackle climate change

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