South Tyneside

Government must act on climate warnings

The Government has only four years to implement a major new programme of action to cut carbon emissions if the UK is to play its part in keeping global temperatures below danger levels warned a new report launched by The Co-operative Bank and Friends of the Earth today (15 September). The report, ‘The Future starts here: the route to a low carbon economy’ is based upon research commissioned from The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester. It is the UK’s first comprehensive roadmap to a low carbon economy.

The report demonstrates that:

* The UK can achieve the necessary carbon reductions if the Government implements a major programme of action within the next 4 years. Delaying action will require much more drastic and less manageable cuts.
* The UK needs to achieve significant emission cuts – of around 70 per cent - within the next 30 years. Government targets of a 60 per cent cut in emissions by 2050 are insufficient as they do not provide for enough reductions within the necessary timescale.
* UK carbon emissions have not fallen since 1990. Government calculations which show a decrease are misleading as they fail to take into account emissions from international shipping and aviation.

South Tyneside Friends of the Earth spokesperson Bryan Atkinson said:

"This research makes it clear that both our economic wealth, and the lives of millions of our fellow human beings depend on the measures we take now. We can't afford to wait before taking action.

"One of the key findings of the research is that 70 percent cuts in carbon dioxide are needed within the next 30 years - bigger cuts then previously thought necessary and significantly more than the Government is planning. We need ambitious targets and a framework of policies to support such a reduction.

“South Shields MP David Miliband acknowledges the threat of climate change, but he now has to demonstrate leadership within the cabinet and act to ensure that a Bill is included in the Queens speech that commits the Government to real cuts in carbon emissions.”

Notes

1. Research published in 2005 at the UK Government’s scientific conference on climate change concluded that preventing temperatures from rising above 2 degrees centigrade would mean keeping the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as far below 450 parts per million as possible. UK Government targets are based on achieving concentrations of 550 parts per million and as such will not produce the reduction in carbon dioxide needed. ‘The Future Starts Here’ calculates the UK’s carbon budget based on achieving 450 parts per million.
2. Tyndall Centre report
3. The Big Ask

Ends