Climate Change bill will be ‘milestone or millstone’

-15/11/06

Todayís Queenís Speech


Climate Change bill will be ‘milestone or millstone’

-15/11/06

Todayís Queenís Speech will be a milestone for poor people if it contains a strong bill on climate change and a millstone round their necks if it doesnít, says Christian Aid.

This speech, which sets out the Government’s legislative programme for the coming Parliamentary year, is the final package of proposed new laws Tony Blair hopes to bring before he steps down as Prime Minister.

“The carbon that Britain pumps into the atmosphere has a direct and devastating impact on poor people in the developing world, so a UK bill that seeks to cut our greenhouse gas emissions must be a welcome development,” said Andrew Pendleton, Christian Aidís senior climate analyst.

The bill comes after demonstration in London from protestors demanding that the UK Government negotiate an international deal to keep global warming to less than 2 degrees centigrade. They also called from the introduction of a climate change bill into the Queens speech that delivered annual cuts in UK carbon dioxide emissions.

Churches, church leaders and aid agencies were amongst those who took part in the demonstration, organised by the “I Count” coalition.

“World leaders are now meeting in Nairobi to discuss climate change and it would be a tremendous opportunity to send them an unambiguous message that the UK is serious about setting an example over emissions cuts,” said Pendleton from the UN Nairobi conference.

“However, this is not a time for gestures so if the bill is to be effective it must contain clear targets for emissions cuts on a year-by-year basis.

“It is simply too dangerous to name a vague date in the future which, on current form, the government is unlikely to meet. Climate change imposes a duty on all of us to make real and substantive cuts now and in the long term. To legislate otherwise would be to risk the lives of millions of the worldís most vulnerable people,” Mr Pendleton said.


Climate Change bill will be ‘milestone or millstone’

-15/11/06

Todayís Queenís Speech will be a milestone for poor people if it contains a strong bill on climate change and a millstone round their necks if it doesnít, says Christian Aid.

This speech, which sets out the Government’s legislative programme for the coming Parliamentary year, is the final package of proposed new laws Tony Blair hopes to bring before he steps down as Prime Minister.

“The carbon that Britain pumps into the atmosphere has a direct and devastating impact on poor people in the developing world, so a UK bill that seeks to cut our greenhouse gas emissions must be a welcome development,” said Andrew Pendleton, Christian Aidís senior climate analyst.

The bill comes after demonstration in London from protestors demanding that the UK Government negotiate an international deal to keep global warming to less than 2 degrees centigrade. They also called from the introduction of a climate change bill into the Queens speech that delivered annual cuts in UK carbon dioxide emissions.

Churches, church leaders and aid agencies were amongst those who took part in the demonstration, organised by the “I Count” coalition.

“World leaders are now meeting in Nairobi to discuss climate change and it would be a tremendous opportunity to send them an unambiguous message that the UK is serious about setting an example over emissions cuts,” said Pendleton from the UN Nairobi conference.

“However, this is not a time for gestures so if the bill is to be effective it must contain clear targets for emissions cuts on a year-by-year basis.

“It is simply too dangerous to name a vague date in the future which, on current form, the government is unlikely to meet. Climate change imposes a duty on all of us to make real and substantive cuts now and in the long term. To legislate otherwise would be to risk the lives of millions of the worldís most vulnerable people,” Mr Pendleton said.