Back
World's first climate law is a victory for people power
UK law ups pressure on EU and other European governments
Brussels/London, 29 October 2008 - The UK Parliament voted yesterday
evening for the world's first Climate Change Law upping the pressure on
other European governments to legally commit to cut emissions and on the
European Union to agree a strong climate and energy package.
The UK Climate Change Law has been hailed as a major victory for people
power following a three and a half year Big Ask campaign by Friends of
the Earth. Since the campaign was launched more than 200,000 people in
the UK have emailed, written to or visited their MP to ask them to
support a strong law.
The Big Ask campaign continues in 16 other European countries and at EU
level. Friends of the Earth is demanding legally binding annual emission
cuts across Europe to reach 40 per cent domestic cuts by 2020 and 100
per cent by 2050.
The UK Bill - which will be made law in November - will make the UK the
first country in the world to commit to legally binding cuts in its
greenhouse gas emissions. The bill commits the UK government to:
- reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80 per cent by 2050;
- set 5 year 'carbon budgets' which will put a limit on the quantity of
emissions allowed by the UK within that period. In setting the carbon
budgets the UK has to take the advice of a newly established Committee
on Climate Change which includes scientific, environmental and economic
expertise;
- set annual targets in the form of annual ranges (i.e. x plus or minus)
in meeting the 5 year carbon budgets;
- to produce an action plan, to be reviewed by the Committee on Climate
Change, and report annually to Parliament.
The longest running debate in the campaign for a Climate Change Law was
on the inclusion of emissions from international aviation and shipping.
The Government resisted the inclusion until a last minute change of
heart following intense pressure from tens of thousands members of the
public. The Law now includes emissions from international aviation and
shipping.
But unfortunately the bill does not limit the amount the UK can
'off-set' by purchasing credits from outside Europe.
The European Big Ask campaign, which was launched in Brussels in
February by Thom Yorke of Radiohead, has already registered notable
successes. The pressure is growing for similar laws in many EU
countries, for example in Finland where the parliament is discussing a
draft climate law to reduce emissions by 5 per cent every year. At the
European level MEPs supported strong measures, including financial
penalties for member states which do not reduce their emissions year by
year, in its vote on 'effort sharing'.
Friends of the Earth Europe climate campaigner Sonja Meister said: "This
Climate Change Act in the UK is a world first and shows that people want
their governments to take meaningful action on climate change. This sets
a challenge to the EU. Ministers must not be allowed to water down the
energy package. The UK should follow the ambitious lead it has taken at
home at the European Council, and push others to follow."
Thom Yorke, Radiohead front man and supporter of The Big Ask, said: "When I helped launch the Friends of the Earth campaign for a climate
change law just over 3 years ago we were still arguing with climate
change sceptics.
"Now the UK will have the world's first climate change law. And it came
about simply because hundreds of thousands of people on the ground
hassled their MP who in turn hassled the government. Amazing."
***
For further information please contact:
Sonja Meister, Climate Campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe:
+ 49 176 64608515 (German mobile),
sonja.meister[at]foeeurope.org
Francesca Gater, Communications Officer for Friends of the Earth Europe: +32 2542 6105 and +32 485 930515 (Belgian mobile), francesca.gater[at]foeeurope.org
Friends of the Earth Europe campaigns for sustainable and fair societies and for the protection of the environment,
unites more than 30 national organisations with thousands of local groups
and is part of the world's largest grassroots environmental network, Friends of the Earth International.
