UK carbon budget must be 'a rallying call'
UK CARBON BUDGET VITAL TO KEEP UK’S PLACE IN LOW-CARBON WORLD, SAYS CHRISTIAN AID
· Failure would be a ‘betrayal’ of the needs of the world’s poorest people
Responding to today’s Government announcement of the fifth carbon budget under the Climate Change Act, Christian Aid said it was urgent for
Christian Aid’s Senior UK Political Advisor, Tom Viita, said: “The fifth carbon budget must be a rallying call to action across government to get back on track with our climate change promises. Since 190 countries pledged action on climate change in last year’s Paris Agreement, the world is firmly on a low-carbon footing. The race is now on as China, the USA and other countries move ahead with surprising speed.
“The UK is well positioned to thrive in the low-carbon future. The fifth carbon budget charts a path to a very low-carbon Britain over the next 15 years, but this must not just be words on the page, but a commitment to action across the UK.
“Parliament must move quickly and decisively to pass the fifth carbon budget today and show that, despite the political turmoil, there remains robust cross-party support for the actions to address climate change.
“Importantly, today the Climate Change Committee has spelled out how current policies fall far short of what is needed: so the Government must move decisively this autumn to put in place serious policies that will restore the confidence of businesses, investors and international allies that Britain will take the lead in a low-carbon world.”
He added: “We welcome the Government’s decision to accept in full the advice of the Climate Change Committee. Anything less than this recommended level of ambition would be a betrayal of the needs of the world’s poorest people, who need every country to play its part in this global challenge.
“We are already seeing the impacts on climate change around the world, not only on the poorest communities suffering crop failures, spreading viruses and extreme weather, but even on our own shores.
“The UK’s forthcoming climate risk assessment will outline more actions that need to be taken to keep communities safe. The UK is playing a leading role in helping those overseas adapt to the changing climate. It should do the same at home.”
Ends
Notes to Editors:
1. Christian Aid works in some of the world's poorest communities in around 40 countries at any one time. We act where there is great need, regardless of religion, helping people to live a full life, free from poverty. We provide urgent, practical and effective assistance in tackling the root causes of poverty as well as its effects.
2. Christian Aid’s core belief is that the world can and must be changed so that poverty is ended: this is what we stand for. Everything we do is about ending poverty and injustice: swiftly, effectively, sustainably. Our strategy document Partnership for Change (http://www.christianaid.org.uk/images/partnership-for-change-summary.pdf) explains how we set about this task.
3. Christian Aid is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of more than 130 churches and church-related organisations that work together in humanitarian assistance, advocacy and development. Further details athttp://actalliance.org
4. Follow Christian Aid's newswire on Twitter: http://twitter.com/caid_newswire
5. For more information about the work of Christian Aid visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk
*****
Government adoption of climate target welcomed by Friends of the Earth
The Government’s decision to adopt a new target for tackling climate change, has been welcomed by Friends of the Earth.
Ministers today confirmed that they will endorse a proposal by the Committee on Climate Change to cut UK emissions by 57 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.
The target is the fifth five-year carbon budget, which aims to ensure that the UK meets its legally-binding target to cut emissions by 80 percent from 1990 levels in 2050.
Friends of the Earth senior climate campaigner Simon Bullock said:
“After the huge confusion following the Brexit vote, we welcome the certainty this decision gives. Investors will now know that the UK is a place where low carbon investment can flourish.
“The big challenge is to ensure stronger policies to meet this carbon budget. The Committee on Climate Change has repeatedly warned that we are not on track to meet our climate goals for the 2020s.
“Floods and droughts don’t care whether the UK is in the EU or not. We must get on with the urgent business of getting all the world’s economies off the coal, oil and gas which are putting all our futures at risk.
“Protecting our homes, communities and environment from the ever-growing dangers of climate change must be a non-negotiable part of how the UK deals with the repercussions of Brexit.”
ENDS
****
Government backs new carbon target
The Government has this morning announced that it has agreed to set a new legally binding target to cut emissions 57 per cent against 1990 levels by 2032.
The Climate Change Act 2008 introduced a legally binding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% below the 1990 baseline by 2050, with an interim target to reduce emissions by at least 34% by 2020. The Act also introduced “carbon budgets”, which set the trajectory to ensure the targets in the Act are met. These budgets represent legally-binding limits on the total amount of greenhouse gases that can be emitted in the UK for a given five year period.
The first budgetary period is from 2008 to 2012 (3,018 MtCO2e), and the next two budgets cover the periods 2013-2017 (2,782 MtCO2e) and 2018-2022 (2,544 MtCO2e). The levels of these budgets, which took account of the advice of the independent Committee on Climate Change, were announced in April 2009 and subsequently approved by Parliament and entered into force in May 2009. The level of the fourth carbon budget was set in law, following approval by Parliament, at the end of June 2011 as required under the Act. The level was set at 1,950 MtCO2e, in line with the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendation.
Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) set out in a statement released online that:
“The Government has agreed with the Committee on Climate Change and proposes that the fifth budgetary period covering 2028 to 2032 should be set at 1,725 MtCO2e.”
Reaction
“This Government is a global leader in tackling climate change. Today’s announcement is especially welcome given the uncertainty caused by last week’s referendum."
Hugh McNeal, Chief Executive, RenewableUK
"This unequivocal move provides much needed investor certainty and is the first step to ensuring the UK continues to benefit from the jobs and growth offered through the low carbon economy."
Sepi Golzari-Munro, Head of the UK Programme, E3G
“I warmly welcome the Government’s acceptance of the CCC’s advice on the fifth carbon budget. Amidst many competing demands it is to their credit that they continue to prioritise efforts to tackle climate change in the UK and internationally. The Government’s commitment to reduce UK emissions by 57% by 2030 will open up opportunities for UK businesses both at home and abroad. It also demonstrates the continued broad political consensus to tackle the serious risks posed by climate change.”
Lord Deben, Chairman, the Committee on Climate Change
