Tiskové zprávy
Strana zelených Velké Británie: Zákon o klimatických změnách je bezzubý a nedostatečný
15. listopadu 2006 | Strana zelených Velké Británie
Lack of annual targets in today's bill means the government will continue to dawdle on this crucial issue.
Sian Berry, Green Party Principal Speaker today commented on the much anticipated climate change bill: "Almost two-thirds of MP's have called for annual binding targets, reflecting the British public's desire for urgent action to tackle devastating carbon emissions.
"The government's own Stern review stated that it is better to achieve faster reductions earlier, or greater reductions will be needed later.
"But Blair is determined to fly in the face of public opinion, of scientific recommendations, of common sense. The lack of annual targets in today's bill means the government will continue to dawdle on this crucial issue.
"If we are to to make real headway on curbing our emissions we need to act now - we do not have time for yet more commissions and reviews, for more political delay.
"We need a Climate Change Bill which sets binding emissions-reduction targets of 6 per cent a year to allow us to achieve cuts in UK GHG emissions of 90 per cent by 2030. This is the level of cuts required for us - in a framework of contraction and convergence - to play a fair role in delivering the global cuts needed to stabilise atmospheric CO2 at 450 parts per million."
"There is a whole menu of effective measures already being implemented in Europe. Tony Blair just has to pick some of them and start work, but instead he is fudging and stalling, as he has been for nine long years."
"The Germans, the French and the Spanish government's have all managed to take decisive action on climate change. Why can't Blair?
"The French Prime Minister on Monday announced the creation next year of a coal tax and a 10-percent increase in taxation of industrial and air transport pollution in France - to re-enforce the principle of the polluter pays. (1) Spain has this week made solar panels compulsory on all new and renovated buildings - predicted to bring energy savings of 30 to 40 percent for each building and a reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy consumption of 40 to 55 percent. (2) "
"German Greens have incentivised installation of renewables by paying a higher rate for carbon-free electricity sold to the grid. They are also doubling the effect by lending about £1bn a year, interest free, to householders and companies to install wind and solar. The whole scheme is paid by a small charge (€0.5 per kWh) on fossil-fuel generated electricity. Italy's Green Party Environment Minister is also pushing for a similar scheme.(3)
"Our Green Peer, Lord Beaumont, will seek to add amendments to the Climate Change bill in its passage through the Lords. Proposals will include:
- a commitment to Contraction and Convergence - Increases to the rate of the Carbon Change Levy, placing it on an escalator like the old fuel-duty escalator - Setting departmental investment in CO2 reduction measures targets - depending on the area, shift investment into energy efficiency, economic measures etc depending on remit - Pledge to reduce spending on climate damaging technologies and developments - Pledge to increase year on year investment in clean technologies e.g. local recycling, solar, wind etc - massively expand the renewables obligation, including financial incentives to encourage suppliers to use renewable sources along the lines of the German model (Feed-In tariffs) - Establish a feasibility study and pilot scheme to prepare fort he introduction of a personal carbon trading scheme - Require that embodied and trade-transport-related CO2 emissions for goods consumed in the UK get included in our national totals - A commitment to the 450ppm target and hence to 90%+ reductions by 2050 (not achievable but allows others to negotiate the current targets upwards) Substituting cap-and-share for the ETS carbon trading scheme.
"Blair's could be one of the first world figures to put his head above the parapet and take decisive action on climate change. That would be a real legacy. Instead it seems clear he will fall far short of making more than cosmetic commitments to action on climate change - the most dangerous threat we face. "
Notes for Editors:
(1) uk.news.yahoo.com
(2) www.msnbc.msn.com
(3) At a rate of 57.40 Euro cents per kWh
Sian Berry, Green Party Principal Speaker today commented on the much anticipated climate change bill: "Almost two-thirds of MP's have called for annual binding targets, reflecting the British public's desire for urgent action to tackle devastating carbon emissions.
"The government's own Stern review stated that it is better to achieve faster reductions earlier, or greater reductions will be needed later.
"But Blair is determined to fly in the face of public opinion, of scientific recommendations, of common sense. The lack of annual targets in today's bill means the government will continue to dawdle on this crucial issue.
"If we are to to make real headway on curbing our emissions we need to act now - we do not have time for yet more commissions and reviews, for more political delay.
"We need a Climate Change Bill which sets binding emissions-reduction targets of 6 per cent a year to allow us to achieve cuts in UK GHG emissions of 90 per cent by 2030. This is the level of cuts required for us - in a framework of contraction and convergence - to play a fair role in delivering the global cuts needed to stabilise atmospheric CO2 at 450 parts per million."
"There is a whole menu of effective measures already being implemented in Europe. Tony Blair just has to pick some of them and start work, but instead he is fudging and stalling, as he has been for nine long years."
"The Germans, the French and the Spanish government's have all managed to take decisive action on climate change. Why can't Blair?
"The French Prime Minister on Monday announced the creation next year of a coal tax and a 10-percent increase in taxation of industrial and air transport pollution in France - to re-enforce the principle of the polluter pays. (1) Spain has this week made solar panels compulsory on all new and renovated buildings - predicted to bring energy savings of 30 to 40 percent for each building and a reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy consumption of 40 to 55 percent. (2) "
"German Greens have incentivised installation of renewables by paying a higher rate for carbon-free electricity sold to the grid. They are also doubling the effect by lending about £1bn a year, interest free, to householders and companies to install wind and solar. The whole scheme is paid by a small charge (€0.5 per kWh) on fossil-fuel generated electricity. Italy's Green Party Environment Minister is also pushing for a similar scheme.(3)
"Our Green Peer, Lord Beaumont, will seek to add amendments to the Climate Change bill in its passage through the Lords. Proposals will include:
- a commitment to Contraction and Convergence - Increases to the rate of the Carbon Change Levy, placing it on an escalator like the old fuel-duty escalator - Setting departmental investment in CO2 reduction measures targets - depending on the area, shift investment into energy efficiency, economic measures etc depending on remit - Pledge to reduce spending on climate damaging technologies and developments - Pledge to increase year on year investment in clean technologies e.g. local recycling, solar, wind etc - massively expand the renewables obligation, including financial incentives to encourage suppliers to use renewable sources along the lines of the German model (Feed-In tariffs) - Establish a feasibility study and pilot scheme to prepare fort he introduction of a personal carbon trading scheme - Require that embodied and trade-transport-related CO2 emissions for goods consumed in the UK get included in our national totals - A commitment to the 450ppm target and hence to 90%+ reductions by 2050 (not achievable but allows others to negotiate the current targets upwards) Substituting cap-and-share for the ETS carbon trading scheme.
"Blair's could be one of the first world figures to put his head above the parapet and take decisive action on climate change. That would be a real legacy. Instead it seems clear he will fall far short of making more than cosmetic commitments to action on climate change - the most dangerous threat we face. "
Notes for Editors:
(1) uk.news.yahoo.com
(2) www.msnbc.msn.com
(3) At a rate of 57.40 Euro cents per kWh
Online diskuse
Redakce Ekolistu vítá čtenářské názory, komentáře a postřehy. Tím, že zde publikujete svůj příspěvek, se ale zároveň zavazujete dodržovat pravidla diskuse. V případě porušení si redakce vyhrazuje právo smazat diskusní příspěvěk
