Real Progress on climate change
With thanks to:
Dr Dave Toke, Green Party energy policy advisor
Tom Tibbits, Green Party energy spokesperson
Prof John Whitelegg, Green Party spokesperson on
sustainable development
May 2004
Contact Green Party press office, 020 7561 0282, press@greenparty.org.uk
1. An EU climate strategy
Green MEPs will
work for:
a.
EU emissions targets which will achieve a
60% global CO2 reduction by 2050, compared with 1990 levels.
b.
EU acknowledgement that the countries which
pollute the most, and have the longest history of polluting, carry additional
responsibility for higher than 60% cuts. The Green Party target for the UK is
90% cuts.
c.
EU adoption of the policy of "Contraction
and Convergence" - the concept designed by the Global Commons Institute for
guaranteeing equity at the same time as creating sustainability.
d.
Immediate EU adoption of a 40% CO2 reduction
by 2020 and swift development of a strategy for delivering those reductions.
e.
EU to make climate change a top priority and
review all policy areas with a view to supporting its climate strategy.
f.
EU to coordinate member states in agreeing
common levels of carbon taxation.
g.
EU to coordinate member states in
introducing a tax on aviation fuel.
h.
EU to support research and development into
non-nuclear renewable energy production and energy conservation.
i.
EU to play a highly active role on the
international stage in pursuit of climate stability in line with the above.
j.
EU to help ensure that all member states
pursue climate stability in line with the above
k.
EU to make energy efficiency measures a key
part of the UK's and EU's fight against climate change.
l.
Ultimately, 100% of domestic , industrial
and surface transport energy to be sourced from non-nuclear renewables
2. A UK climate strategy
In parallel with
the EU climate strategy, the UK government must develop its own strategy for
achieving 90% CO2 cuts by 2050.
Immediate policies
towards this must include:
a. Adopting the
"Contraction and Convergence" climate change reduction model, calling
for a 90% reduction in UK CO2 emissions by 2050
b. Implementing a comprehensive
traffic reduction strategy, including:
- investment into public
transport
- bringing railways back into
public ownership
- an end to unnecessary
roadbuilding schemes
c. An end to airport expansions
programmes, support for Air Traffic Emissions Reduction Bill
d. Supporting a national-level
"zero waste" strategy
e. Government investment into/
funding of renewable energy schemes
f. Introducing a Home Energy
Conservation Act to reduce domestic energy demand by 30% within 10 years.
3. A climate strategy in every regional assembly and local
authority
In parallel with
the EU and UK climate strategy, every regional assembly and every local
authority must develop its own climate strategy.
Immediate policies
towards this must include:
a.. Developing a comprehensive
strategy to cut the local authorities own CO2 emissions by 30% from 1990 levels
by 2020 and 90% by 2050, including:
- traffic reduction
- energy efficiency
- home energy conservation
-
a "Zero waste" strategy
- "energy efficient"
procurement
b. Employing energy efficiency
managers
c. All new developments to be
energy efficient
4. Further reading
For more
information see:
a.
The Manifesto
for a Sustainable Society at www.greenparty.org.uk/policy,
sections on climate change and energy.
b.
Green Party Alternative Energy Review at .
c.
Solar Century: How local authorities can help fuel the solar
revolution of the 21st century at .
d.
Smart Energy: Real Progress in local council energy policy at .