Greens decry lack of Government action on climate change
23 August 2007
In the wake of the Friends of the Earth report that the Government will miss its own 2010 policy goal for a 20% cut in carbon emissions, Green Principal Speaker Dr Derek Wall lambasted new Prime Minister Gordon Brown on his critical lack of joined-up thinking. (1)
"I am shocked but not surprised that Britain is likely to miss its CO2 targets for 2010, or that we're not even on course to achieve it by 2020. The ice caps are melting, global weather patterns are going haywire and causing mayhem around the world, and no one can still meaningfully deny the existence and dangers of man-made climate change. In response, Gordon Brown commissioned the Stern report, but I wonder if he actually bother to read it?! Transport is one of the greatest contributers to the UK's carbon output for instance, yet he wants to increase this by expanding Britain's roads programme, giving the go ahead for a new runway at Heathrow and seems quite happy to allow the public transport network to decay.(2)
How is it possible to reduce carbon contributions from transport without first reversing one of Thatcher's many great mistakes and re-nationalising the rail and bus networks? People are being disastrously priced off rail and buses and onto planes and cars. I myself live in a rural area and the bus service simply stops in the early evening."
Dr. Wall also pointed towards the UK's tremendous potential for sustainable and clean energy to combat climate change and help Britain hit its target.
"Scotland could be the Saudi Arabia of renewables. The Green Party calls on the Government to increase crucial investment into a programme of a combination of wave, wind, solar, geothermal, methane capture and numerous other sustainable technologies. The whole of the UK could contribute to pollution free energy. The Labour Government, as ever, is simply not doing enough."
ENDS
Notes for editor
1 - www.foe.co.uk2 - www.foe.co.uk--
