Archived press release

Officials try to hide rise in transport pollution

27 May 2004

Friends of the Earth has called for an urgent review of Government transport policy after it was reported today [1] that official figures showing sharp rises in climate changing gases from air and freight transport were removed from an Office of National Statistics (ONS) report on the environment last week following pressure from the Department of Transport. A copy of the unpublished ONS release flagging up the transport figures is available from Friends of the Earth.

The unpublished ONS release said that "between 1990 and 2002 greenhouse gas emissions from the UK transport industries rose 50 per cent. Over the same period, total UK greenhouse gas emissions fell 10 per cent." The largest increase over the same period was 85 per cent was from air transport, with road freight rising by 59 per cent. The release finally issued did not include the transport figures. Department of Transport officials are believed to have been worried that the report would further highlight the massive failure of transport policy to combat climate change.

Friends of the Earth's Director Tony Juniper said

"Any attempts to suppress information on the transport sector's large contribution to the UK's climate-changing emissions would be a complete disgrace. It is littlesurprise that the Department of Transport is embarrassed about its failing policies, but the answer is effective action, not secrecy. The Government must come up with policies to get freight onto railways and people out of their cars and walking, cycling and onto public transport. It must also do more to make cars cleaner and more efficient, develop renewable transport fuels,and re-think its insane decision to allow a massive expansion in air travel."

Friends of the Earth has been highly critical of Government policies on climate change. Cutting carbon dioxide emissions was one of the main targets of the Energy White Paper (published in Feb 2003), and it has promised to cut carbon dioxide levels by 20 per cent of 1990 levels by 2010. Last month Tony Blair's said that "climate change is the most important environmental issue facing the world today" [2].

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. And in February this year the Government revealed that carbon dioxide levels had jumped by 1.5 % over the previous year.

Despite Government promises to cut road traffic, it continues to rise. According to the latest Government figures motoring costs have fallen by 4.8% since Labour came to office (whilst rail costs have gone up three per cent and bus travel by 8.2 per cent) [3].

In March this year, an influential committee of MPs (The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee) warned that Government plans to allow a massive expansion in air travel will make climate change targets "meaningless and unachievable" [4].

[1] Guardian 27 May 2004

[2] Climate Group press release 27/4/04

[3] www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhansrd/ ¬
cm040317/text/40317w05.htm#40317w05.html_sbhd7

[4] www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/ ¬
mps_attack_government_avia_15032004.html

Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 0.7.2

-->

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