By David Williams
11 January 2010
MPs are urging the government to provide international leadership on climate change by doing more to bring down carbon emissions in the UK.
The Commons environmental audit committee also warns that this country’s efforts to tackle global warming will be rendered ‘meaningless’ unless an international agreement can be reached.
In Carbon budgets, published today, the committee also criticises the government for persistent over-optimism on its ability to meet its own targets.
Targets were only going to be met because of the fall-off in economic activity caused by the recession, the MPs notes.
Emissions dropped by 2% in 2008, compared with average reductions of less than 1% per year between 2003 and 2007. But annual reductions of 2% to 3% are needed, the report says.
Committee chair Tim Yeo said: ‘We must send a clear signal to developing countries that we are serious about making an international deal work – by meeting our own targets more quickly.
‘The slower our progress, the less credibility we will have internationally.’
The government has set targets to cut carbon emissions by 26% of 1990 levels by 2020. However, the committee is now urging the government to go further, increasing the target to 42%.
Yeo recognised that carbon budgeting required striking a fine balance between what needs to be done and what is politically acceptable.
‘On balance, the government has got these judgments right,’ he said. ‘Where it is falling down is on delivery.’
The committee stresses the importance of carbon reduction, saying it deserves the same level of civil service commitment and political scrutiny as the fiscal budget.
The report also calls for more regulation to prevent the UK investing in ‘high-carbon infrastructure’.
Climate change minister Joan Ruddock said there would be no 'let up' in the UK's efforts on tackling climate change.
'We’ve already cut the UK’s emissions by nearly double the Kyoto target and are on track to meet the first three carbon budgets. It’s right that we strengthen and sustain these efforts and we’ve a detailed plan to make that happen which includes a world-leading policy on clean coal, plans for new nuclear, a massive increase in offshore wind plus a wide range of help for people to save energy in their homes,' she said.
11 January 2010
MPs are urging the government to provide international leadership on climate change by doing more to bring down carbon emissions in the UK.
The Commons environmental audit committee also warns that this country’s efforts to tackle global warming will be rendered ‘meaningless’ unless an international agreement can be reached.
In Carbon budgets, published today, the committee also criticises the government for persistent over-optimism on its ability to meet its own targets.
Targets were only going to be met because of the fall-off in economic activity caused by the recession, the MPs notes.
Emissions dropped by 2% in 2008, compared with average reductions of less than 1% per year between 2003 and 2007. But annual reductions of 2% to 3% are needed, the report says.
Committee chair Tim Yeo said: ‘We must send a clear signal to developing countries that we are serious about making an international deal work – by meeting our own targets more quickly.
‘The slower our progress, the less credibility we will have internationally.’
The government has set targets to cut carbon emissions by 26% of 1990 levels by 2020. However, the committee is now urging the government to go further, increasing the target to 42%.
Yeo recognised that carbon budgeting required striking a fine balance between what needs to be done and what is politically acceptable.
‘On balance, the government has got these judgments right,’ he said. ‘Where it is falling down is on delivery.’
The committee stresses the importance of carbon reduction, saying it deserves the same level of civil service commitment and political scrutiny as the fiscal budget.
The report also calls for more regulation to prevent the UK investing in ‘high-carbon infrastructure’.
Climate change minister Joan Ruddock said there would be no 'let up' in the UK's efforts on tackling climate change.
'We’ve already cut the UK’s emissions by nearly double the Kyoto target and are on track to meet the first three carbon budgets. It’s right that we strengthen and sustain these efforts and we’ve a detailed plan to make that happen which includes a world-leading policy on clean coal, plans for new nuclear, a massive increase in offshore wind plus a wide range of help for people to save energy in their homes,' she said.
