Brown backs Archbishop on the morality of climate change action
-23/04/06
UK Chancello
Brown backs Archbishop on the morality of climate change action
-23/04/06
UK Chancellor Gordon Brown, who has named US progressive Christian writer Jim Wallis as among his influences, has told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the Archbishop of Canterbury was right to describe action on climate change a moral necessity.
Like Dr Rowan Williams, Mr Brown stressed that increased global warming would hit billions of people in the worldís poorest countries hardest of all.
But some environmental critics say that Mr Brownís undoubted good intentions have not been matched by determined enough government action.
In particular, the Chancellor, who comes from a thrifty Presbyterian background and is still tipped to be Tony Blairís successor as Labour leader, has resisted calls for higher fuel tax ñ one measure that analysts say could have a major impact on Britainís ability to meet carbon emission targets.
Brown argues that he has to balance economic needs with environmental ones. Others say that he is sacrificing green principles to short-term electoral gain and the power of the road and fuel lobbies.
The Chancellor was interviewed by the BBC following US talks with finance ministers from the G7 richest nations, and after the price of a barrel of oil reached a record high of £42 in New York last week.
Responding to earlier comments by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams,
Mr Brown said: “If [climate change] is affecting both our habitat and environment and affecting those people who are dependent on that environment the most – and that is poor people in poor countries – then this has got to be looked at, not just as an economic issue but a social issue. And you could therefore say that it’s got an ethical dimension as well.”
He added: “There is personal and social responsibility here. We can as individuals make a difference in the way we behave and use the environment. But it’s got to be matched by the measures that we take as a community as a whole. Voluntarism in itself will not be enough.”
There is increasing concern about ecological issues on the part of Britainís churches, with several new initiatives and coalitions being put together in the last few years. They argue that more emphasis is needed on renewable fuels, and they are concerned at the focus on nuclear power in the governmentís energy review, as well as action on carbon targets.
Under close scrutiny from interviewer John Humphries, Mr Brown went on to defend Labour’s policies on green taxation and said the government would meet its own CO2 emission targets in the long-term. He added that it was already going beyond targets set at the Kyoto treaty on climate change.
When Humphries pointed out that the total environmental proportion of the national tax take had decreased from 7 per cent to 6.2 per cent under this government, the Chancellor said that it was more important to focus on specific measures rather than get fixated with statistics ñ a stance which may be considered unusual for the governmentís economic supremo.
Mr Brown insisted that putting up taxes on energy was not necessary because the oil and gas price hikes, partly influenced by increased demand in Asian markets, was having the same disincentive impact.
The Chancellorís comments on climate change come after new Conservative leader David Cameron said he would replace Labour’s cornerstone policy designed to curb carbon emissions – the climate change levy – with a new business tax or credit system.
But environmentalists fear that the Tory leader, who made his green pledge during a photo opportunity visit to Norway, may buckle under pressure from business leaders to scale back his eco-commitments.
Meanwhile the small UK Green Party argues that the main protagonists are putting rhetoric before policies when it comes to taking tough climate change action.
Brown backs Archbishop on the morality of climate change action
-23/04/06
UK Chancellor Gordon Brown, who has named US progressive Christian writer Jim Wallis as among his influences, has told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the Archbishop of Canterbury was right to describe action on climate change a moral necessity.
Like Dr Rowan Williams, Mr Brown stressed that increased global warming would hit billions of people in the worldís poorest countries hardest of all.
But some environmental critics say that Mr Brownís undoubted good intentions have not been matched by determined enough government action.
In particular, the Chancellor, who comes from a thrifty Presbyterian background and is still tipped to be Tony Blairís successor as Labour leader, has resisted calls for higher fuel tax ñ one measure that analysts say could have a major impact on Britainís ability to meet carbon emission targets.
Brown argues that he has to balance economic needs with environmental ones. Others say that he is sacrificing green principles to short-term electoral gain and the power of the road and fuel lobbies.
The Chancellor was interviewed by the BBC following US talks with finance ministers from the G7 richest nations, and after the price of a barrel of oil reached a record high of £42 in New York last week.
Responding to earlier comments by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams,
Mr Brown said: “If [climate change] is affecting both our habitat and environment and affecting those people who are dependent on that environment the most – and that is poor people in poor countries – then this has got to be looked at, not just as an economic issue but a social issue. And you could therefore say that it’s got an ethical dimension as well.”
He added: “There is personal and social responsibility here. We can as individuals make a difference in the way we behave and use the environment. But it’s got to be matched by the measures that we take as a community as a whole. Voluntarism in itself will not be enough.”
There is increasing concern about ecological issues on the part of Britainís churches, with several new initiatives and coalitions being put together in the last few years. They argue that more emphasis is needed on renewable fuels, and they are concerned at the focus on nuclear power in the governmentís energy review, as well as action on carbon targets.
Under close scrutiny from interviewer John Humphries, Mr Brown went on to defend Labour’s policies on green taxation and said the government would meet its own CO2 emission targets in the long-term. He added that it was already going beyond targets set at the Kyoto treaty on climate change.
When Humphries pointed out that the total environmental proportion of the national tax take had decreased from 7 per cent to 6.2 per cent under this government, the Chancellor said that it was more important to focus on specific measures rather than get fixated with statistics ñ a stance which may be considered unusual for the governmentís economic supremo.
Mr Brown insisted that putting up taxes on energy was not necessary because the oil and gas price hikes, partly influenced by increased demand in Asian markets, was having the same disincentive impact.
The Chancellorís comments on climate change come after new Conservative leader David Cameron said he would replace Labour’s cornerstone policy designed to curb carbon emissions – the climate change levy – with a new business tax or credit system.
But environmentalists fear that the Tory leader, who made his green pledge during a photo opportunity visit to Norway, may buckle under pressure from business leaders to scale back his eco-commitments.
Meanwhile the small UK Green Party argues that the main protagonists are putting rhetoric before policies when it comes to taking tough climate change action.