Step in the right direction
Christian relief and development agency Tearfund very much welcomes the first draft of the climate change bill. It is a significant step forward for the UK, which could become the first country to develop a legal framework for managing carbon emissions. However, Tearfund believes the current plan falls short of adequately addressing the problem at home or abroad by not explicitly committing to keeping global warming under the widely accepted 2 degree Celsius threshold (widely accepted to be the dangerous threshold to exceed.)
Parched Earth: Climate change is already having an impact on the poor.
Also missing from the bill was the UK’s commitment for annual targets to reduce emissions by at least 3% year on year.
Rachel Roach, Tearfund policy adviser for climate change said: “This draft Bill is a very significant step in the right direction for the UK Government. However, it ultimately needs to acknowledge the 2º Celsius global warming danger threshold, and ensure UK carbon emissions are reduced by at least 3% per year. We must get this right as we are running out of time. Climate change is the biggest problem facing the planet today and the poor are being hit the hardest by climate change. Tearfund is already helping poor communities in the developing world cope with the consequences of our energy-hungry lifestyles in the West.”
| what’s in |
what’s not |
| This Bill puts into statute the UK's targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions through domestic and international action by 60% by 2050 and 26-32% by 2020, against a 1990 baseline. |
A good start, but this lags behind the science which indicates 80% should be the target by 2050 – with a need for a minimum reduction of 30% by 2020. The Government needs to explicitly commit to keeping global warming under 2 degree C danger threshold. |
| Five-year carbon budgets, which will require the Government to set, in secondary legislation, binding limits on carbon dioxide emissions during five year budget periods, beginning with the period 2008-12. Three successive carbon budgets (representing 15 years) will always be in legislation. |
The UK needs annual budgets – if this can be done with the nation’s financial budget we can do it with the nation’s carbon budget - putting a Carbon budget at the top of the political agenda. The Bill does not set budgets in accordance with the UK’s fair share of green house gas contribution which needs to keep global warming under 2 deg.C. It also omits to ensure all sectors of the economy play their full part, including aviation and shipping. |
| Emission reductions purchased overseas may be counted towards the UK’s targets, consistent with the UK’s international obligations. This ensures emission reductions can be achieved in the most cost effective way, recognising the potential for investing in low carbon technologies abroad as well as action within the UK to reduce the UK’s overall carbon footprint. |
Tearfund wants to see real emissions reductions from UK activities in line with its fair share and responsibility of meeting global targets and not export our obligations. |
Tearfund is urging all Christians to play their part in reducing their carbon emissions. Tearfund’s new resource Don’t Be Derek, gives Christians and Churches simple measure to cut emissions. Download a pack from www.tearfund.org/derek, or call 0845 355 8355.
Tearfund is a member of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition and their I Count campaign, backed by most of the UK’s environmental and poverty campaigners, trade unions, women’s organisations and faith groups, with a combined supporter base of 4 million plus.
People are being encouraged to sign up online (www.icount.org.uk) or text ‘I Count’ to 84424 and send a message to government to do ALL they can do to stop climate chaos. Since its launch, the campaign has generated a wealth of support from leading environmental campaigners, opinion formers, musicians and poverty campaigners.