Reacting to today’s letter from Lord Deben, the Chair of the Committee on Climate Change, to Energy Secretary Ed Davey saying “there is no legal or economic justification to change" the fourth carbon budget, Friends of the Earth’s Executive Director Andy Atkins said: 
 
“This is a timely and welcome warning shot across the bows of the anti-green Chancellor who’s made no secret of his desire to water down the UK’s commitment to tackling climate change.
 
“Given the stark urgency of the latest climate science, the Government should be strengthening action to get us off fossil fuels - not weakening it. Strong climate laws are the best insurance we have against increasingly extreme weather.

"What's more, the green economy has been an economic bright light during the recession – slashing carbon emissions promises tens of thousands of jobs and more stable energy bills."
 
ENDS

Notes to editors:

1.    Letter from Lord Deben, Chair of the Committee on Climate Change’s Chair, to Energy Secretary Ed Davey.