Government Sleepwalking into Climate Disaster
27 March 2006
The Government has admitted it will fail to meet its target to cut CO2 emissions by 20 per cent by 2010.
"The Government is sleepwalking into a climate disaster, and we need strong leadership and radical action to avoid its worst impacts," said Green Party Principal Speaker and Euro-MP Caroline Lucas.
"If we are to stand any chance of staving off devastating climate change we must cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 80 to 90 per cent by 2050 - and to do that we'll need nothing short of a revolution in the way we run oureconomy, the way we measure human welfare, and the way we produce and consume.
The Government's climate change review, which has been repeatedly delayed by resistance to radical CO2 cuts from with the Government itself, is expected to admit the UK will fail to meet its target of reducing CO2 emissions by 20 per cent by 2010, and call for individuals to take greater personal responsibility for reducing emissions to help close the gap.
The admission of failure breaks a commitment made in each of Labour's last three election manifestos, and comes in the context of CO2 emissions having actually risen since Labour came into office in 1997.
Dr Lucas said the review was a missed opportunity to close the gap between the Government's rhetoric and action on climate change.
"I'm afraid today's report won't make the slightest difference to a Labour government that likes to talk about tackling climate change whilst pursuing the very policies - road-building, airport expansion and encouraging low-cost airlines, private transport and free international trade - that exacerbate it.
"As long as Government policy consists of tinkering around the edges we simply won't cut our emissions fast enough to avoid devastating climate change - a disaster which, like most disasters, will hit the poorest hardest.
"Individuals can't be expected to take responsibility for reducing the UK's CO2 emissions unless the Government establishes a regulatory framework to encourage them to do so.
"The Government must take steps to tackle the aviation sector - the fastest growing contributor to greenhouse gas emissions - and promote energy demand reduction, better public transport and massive investment in renewableenergy generation.
"If we are to make the global reductions necessary in a fair and sustainable way, we must adopt the Contraction and Convergence principal, which calls for the greatest cuts to be made by those industrialised nations which have the greatest capacity and responsibility to do so - and that means we'll need to exceed, not miss, our targets here in the UK."
