Greenland's ice cap confirms the need to act now
17 February 2006
Evidence showing the Greenland ice cap is melting at faster rates than feared adds greater urgency to the need for action, according to Keith Taylor, Green Party Principal Speaker.
"This new satellite evidence has shortened the timeframe for action significantly," he said. "What this study has shown is that by the time the solutions the government are advocating - new technologies such as carbon capturing or old mistakes like nuclear power - materialise, the palace of Westminster will be underwater, along with large portions of the world.
"Avoiding taking any meaningful action to reduce carbon emissions, such as halting aviation expansion and investing heavily in renewable non nuclear carbon free energy generation is a betrayal of future generations. We have to show that decisive action is not only essential but desirable - that the people's and planet's well-beings belong at the core of sustainability.
"We need legislation to ensure the necessary cuts are made and increased funding for efficiency and microgeneration, not voluntary codes and a paltry, under-publicised renewables fund. We need a reduction in air travel through a tax on the aviation industry and a moratorium on building cars with inefficient engines, not airport expansion and a continuation of the £9bn per year public subsidization of airlines.
"We would do well to look at the bold and visionary actions of braver governments, like Sweden's and Iceland's, who are demonstrating there is a future free from reliance on oil."
Notes:
The Green Party's energy campaign, 'Green Energy Works', is at: www.greenenergyworks.org.uk
The campaign aims for 2 million people to sign up to green electricity by the end of 2006 to show the government that people want more investment in energy saving and renewable energy generation, not nuclear power.
The Green Party is also conducting its own public consultation on the future of energy in the UK between 1 February and 15 April 2006.
