Coalition calls for climate change law

Wednesday, 13 July 2005 12:00 AM

A coalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and MPs is today calling for the introduction of a new law on climate change.

The government has set a target to cut dioxide emissions by 60 per cent by 2050, but the group of ten NGOs and 200 MPs believes the year-on-year cuts required to reach this will not take place without a proper legal framework.

The proposed law would set a legally binding target to reduce emissions by three per cent every year and require the prime minister to make an annual report to parliament on progress towards meeting the target.

"Climate change is the greatest threat facing humanity," said Friends of the Earth executive director Tony Juniper.

"We have a window of opportunity to prevent catastrophic climate change but that gap is narrowing. It is critical that we set ourselves on a pathway to achieve the necessary carbon dioxide reductions."

He added: "This bill will set us on a sensible and achievable glide path towards the necessary long-term targets."

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats have condemned a call by the chief executive of BP for the government to subsidise the oil industry's efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Writing in the Financial Times yesterday, Lord Browne said: "We will make only a moderate return from our investments in carbon capture and storage.

"Generating electricity in this way is more expensive than conventional methods, so it needs a government subsidy to be able to compete - just as wind and other renewable energy sources do."

But Lib Dem environment spokesman Norman Baker said oil companies were by far the largest carbon emitters in the UK and made more than enough money to clean up their act.

"While I recognise the efforts being made by some of the more responsible oil companies to begin to invest in cleaner technologies, they cannot expect the taxpayer to pick up the tab," he said.

"If they get it right, energy companies stand to profit handsomely from the newly emerging clean energy market. While it is encouraging that they are turning their attentions towards this, they cannot be granted immunity from the key principle that the polluter must pay."

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