Lords urge action on global warming

Wednesday, 30 June 2004 12:00 AM

A sub committee of the Science and Technology Committee has urged the Prime Minister to do more to ensure the success of the Kyoto Protocol.

The cross party committee of peers and scientists called on the Government to take action "at the highest levels" to persuade other states to reduce emissions.

The Kyoto Protocol committed "industrialised nations" to reducing their emissions of six greenhouse gases by an average of 5.2 per cent below their 1990 levels within a decade.

However with neither Russia nor the USA, two of the world's most prolific polluters, as signatories the treaty has only had a minimal effect on slowing global carbon emissions.

The US, with less than five per cent of the world's population, is responsible for 25 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.

Lord Mitchell, who chaired the inquiry, said: "Global warming can be combated only by global action. We have seen examples in the past of successful international action - for instance the Montreal Protocol, which led to a reduction in the use of the CFCs which are destroying the ozone layer."

"The Kyoto Protocol will ensure that nations begin to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. It gets the process up and running. But it cannot come into force without ratification by the United States or Russia - preferably both."

"The Government must do everything in its power to persuade both these countries to take action."

Mr Blair recently said that he would place tackling climate change at the centre of the UK's G8 presidency.

The UK is committed to reducing greenhouses gases by levels greater than those required under the Kyoto Protocol.

Reports in 2003 by a United Nations panel monitoring the UK's performance under the UN Convention suggest the UK is making good progress. The panel revealed the UK is the world's sixth most successful country in reducing man-made climate-changing carbon gas emissions and is on course to meet international targets, having reduced carbon emissions by 12.8 per cent since 1990.

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