Govt’s Climate Change Bill was announced on 13th March, 2007.
Key messages
· Britain will be the first country in the world to adopt a long-term legal framework for managing the transition to a low carbon economy
· Challenging targets to cut net UK carbon dioxide emissions by 26-32% by 2020 and at least 60% by 2050 from the 1990 level made legally binding
· New independent body, the Committee on Climate Change, to advise Government on the optimal path of emissions reduction
· Legally binding five-year carbon budgets set three periods (15 years) ahead in secondary legislation, aligned with the Kyoto Protocol
· Annual reporting and accountability to Parliament on progress in cutting emissions and every five years on national adaptation to climate change
· Means as well as ends – the Bill introduces powers for new emissions trading schemes
· Strong foundation for a new phase of the Government’s domestic and international climate change strategy
There's a significant point is the emphasis on trading - trying to introduce a market system to make up for the market itself not giving the fuel that produces a ton of CO2 as much cost as the damage a ton of CO2 causes.
I was disappointed by some of the reactions, especially on reducing CO2 by 60% for 2050. For instance -
- the BBC - a TV journalist ages some years and says to meet the target, he has to give up his car, all electrical appliances, all central heating and his foreign holiday; as if insulation, ground-source heat pumping and green energy and using public transport more often couldn’t help make a difference;
- the Institute of Directors - how such measures will put British firms at a disadvantage; the same strange logic American car manufacturers used, only to find their market share falling; they clearly haven’t taken in the Gore movie, nor the Stern report;
- the Nottingham Evening Post - appears not to have covered the bill (certainly by 16th March);
There’s also been more coverage on the "myth of climate change", which is built upon by those who argue that it’s all a ruse to raise more tax.
I append an article by David Miliband -
The evidence that human activity is changing our climate becomes more compelling by the week.
So is the knowledge of the disastrous effects it will have on our lives – but more importantly of our children and their children - if we don’t act to halt and reverse it.
Nor do we have much time. There may be as little as a decade to stop adding to the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere before it’s too late to prevent irreversible climate change.
The consequences would be devastating – an average temperature rise of between 2 and 5 degrees within the lifetime of our grand-children.
While warmer days may seem pleasant, the overall impact of climate change certainly won’t be.
It will bring, as we may already be seeing, more storms, floods, heat-waves and drought with rising sea levels flooding our coast line.
In Britain, we might, at huge cost, be able to restrict the damage and disruption.
But elsewhere in the world, it will inevitably mean more famine, disease, destruction and death.
There is some good news. If we all work together, we still have time – just - to turn the tide.
So that’s what we have to do. In our homes and at local, national and international level.
I can promise that, this Government will take the lead.
We have already pushed climate change to the top of the international agenda.
We played a huge role in getting agreement at Kyoto and will easily meet our targets under it to slash carbon emissions.
We have to build on all this quickly. Getting agreement from every country on bold cuts in their greenhouse gases.
Ensuring that pumping carbon into the atmosphere is not cost free so firms, and countries, have incentives to change their behaviour.
Investing massively in new technology, in renewables and other clean energy – and spreading this knowledge to developing countries.
We need tougher standards on insulation and to stop wastage from light bulbs, fridges and televisions and computers on standby. As Gordon Brown has announced, we are committed to give people more information about their energy bills and encourage them to take up “smart meters” so they now how much energy they consume. So when you leave your lights on, you know how much it will cost you. Our ambition does not stop there: within ten years, all new homes will have to be zero carbon and our aim if that every home for which it is practically possible will be low carbon.
It’s not just the right thing to do. It’s also makes economic sense. For the Stern report underlines that, no matter what the cost of taking action now, the cost of delay will be many times more.
The Government will raise its game, give the leadership needed and continue to build international consensus for action. That is why today we announced the details of our Climate Change Bill that will help Britain move towards a low carbon economy by putting a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 onto the statutory book. Because this is a long-term problem, we will also put a target to reduce this country’s emissions by 60 per cent in 2050 into law. We will make sure that we get to these ambitious reductions by introducing statutory carbon budgets that will run over a five-year-long period and robust annual reporting to Parliament to make sure that we do not fall behind. We will also create an independent authority that will work with Government to deliver these targets.
So how are we going to get there? Another crucial part of our legislation will be to allow carbon trading schemes. That means, at some point in the future, every business, local authority, supermarket and perhaps even individuals will be given quotas how much carbon dioxide they are allowed to pump into the environment.
So everyone needs to play their part. The Government will make it easier for individuals to go green by introducing a “carbon calculator” to enable them to measure their own carbon footprint and give them simple practical advice how they can reduce their own emissions.
Even little changes can make a big difference. Switching just three ordinary lightbulbs with energy saving replacements in every household would cut family bills and save enough power to run street lighting across the country. We are already working with lightning manufacturers and major retailers to phase out the use of high energy light bulbs.
Since 1997, recycling rates in this country have increased dramatically, we have further to go, but this is another area where we can contribute.
We all need to work together need if we want to tackle climate change.
If we succeed, then our children can look back with pride at our generation.
[Last updated - 2007-03-16]
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