Draft Climate Change Bill
Posted by David Howarth, MP for Cambridge, at 14:10, Fri 3 August 2007:
Today the Parliamentary committee examining the draft Climate Change Bill reported on its findings. I was very pleased to have been able to serve on this committee as it’s not only an issue that’s close to my own heart but it is also one that hundreds of people in Cambridge have written to me about.
Under pressure from a large-scale campaign organised by Friends of the Earth, the government announced last year that it would be introducing a bill to set targets on climate change but the draft bill had serious weaknesses. Why was the target to reduce emissions only 60% when the most recent scientific work suggests 80% or even higher? And why are the carbon budgets set over five years, a period longer than the usual life-time of parliaments and of public spending rounds? And why does the bill allow unlimited use of foreign carbon credits to meet these carbon reduction targets?
The Committee was given the task of scrutinising the Government’s proposals in the hope of creating a tougher and more effective bill when it is formally introduced in the autumn. The report, published today, has fixed some of the biggest flaws in the draft bill most importantly by demanding that the government meet annual ‘milestones’ to track its progress at meeting the 5 year carbon reduction targets. The Committee also strongly disapproved of the Government’s suggestion of meeting as much as 70% of its own targets simply by buying foreign ‘carbon credits’ – thus avoiding the need to put our own economy on a low carbon trajectory. This is just unacceptable and I hope that the Government listens when the full bill is published in the autumn.
However, I would have liked the report to have been even stronger and there are three serious issues still to be resolved.
1) We need to raise the target for carbon emissions reduction from 60% to a much higher target.
2) The Bill still only looks at carbon dioxide emissions and doesn’t include the other greenhouse gases.
3) The Bill still ignores emissions from international aviation. This is a major mistake as aviation is set to grow and grow and should not be left out of any climate change strategy. I tabled amendments during the committee to include aviation emissions in the Bill but was unfortunately defeated.
The struggle for an effective Climate change Bill is not over. The government now has to respond to the pre-legislative committee’s report and then it will publish a new version of the bill. We will then have an opportunity to submit these amendments again to press for a stronger Climate Change Bill.
Best wishes
David Howarth MP
Comments
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Posted by Chris Wilson, 19:45, Fri 3 August 2007: (Is this post abusive?) #
Dear Mr Howarth MEP,
As a Cambridge constituent, I strongly support your efforts to push for a stronger and more effective Climate Change Bill. There are a huge number of changes which the Government could make to encourage lower domestic carbon emissions.
But as long as the buying of foreign certificates, worthless home inspections and multiple-counting Renewable Energy Obligations continues, I suspect that there will be no reduction in our domestic carbon emissions because it will be politically inexpedient and more expensive to do so.
I would especially strongly support reform of the transport sector by increasing taxes on polluting fuels and energy, improving public transport and providing grants or financial incentives to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes, including Buy-to-let properties.
If there is anything I (we) can do to promote a stronger Climate Change Bill, please let me (us) know.
Cheers, Chris.
Posted by richard mayo, 10:39, Sat 4 August 2007: (Is this post abusive?) #
After spending three years studying climate change at degree level I learnt one thing. If global warming is a reality then nothing in this bill will make a blind bit of diference, I'm sorry to be so blunt but someone who knows should tell you these things!
Why not do something useful instead such as lowering the intolerable crime levels we curently have to endure!!!
Posted by Alice Douglas, 15:56, Wed 22 August 2007: (Is this post abusive?) #
Thanks for your messages.
Chris, thanks for your support. You raise some really important points about emissions from transport and energy efficiency of existing buildings. These are issues which we must tackle if we are to reduce the UK's carbon footprint. You might be interested in reading about the Lib Dems's Climate Change Starts at Home campaign which talks about improving energy efficiency in our housing stock. It's at http://www.libdems.org.uk/environment/climate-change-starts-at-home-campaign.12418.html
If you would like to help push for a stronger Climate Change Bill, then you can write to Hilary Benn to make your concerns know. David will be continuing to lobby the Government for a stronger bill but we really need pressure from everyone to make sure that the message gets through.
The address to write to is: The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Defra, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3JR
Feel free to copy the letter to David as well (David Howarth MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA).
Kind regards
Alice Douglas
Office of David Howarth MP