Climate Change - the challenge for our generation
Climate change may indeed be the biggest threat to face our future well-being and is something that I am working hard to tackle. It is not just an issue of our future but that of our children and theirs. Climate Change also has a disproportionate affect on the world's poorest people, who are least responsible for the damage we have caused.
In 2005, the UK was in the fortunate position of holding both the G8 and EU Presidencies. In both cases we achieved highly successful outcomes for climate change and energy policy. We were able to use these opportunities to put climate change firmly at the top of the agenda.
It is also important for the UK to lead by example and show the rest of the world that we can take positive steps to curb emissions of greenhouse gases. This Labour government has been at the forefront of global efforts to curb climate change since 1997, even before the issue made it to the newspaper headlines.
Details of some of the things we have already achieved are set out below.
Of course I fully recognise that we can and must do even more and that is why the Climate Change Bill and further initiatives will continue to be the main thrust of the government’s commitment. There are also many constituents who disagree with the action we take in many area and we have to work at building a consensus.
There are of course many things that we can do at home to help tackle climate change. For example, reducing the amount of energy we use in our homes by turning appliances off instead of leaving them on stand-by and using energy-efficient bulbs and appliances can reduce our energy bills as well as helping the environment. We should all look at our carbon emissions and do what we can. Changing personal habits is just as important.
Combating the problems posed by climate change requires international, national and local action. By working together on all these fronts we can reduce the level of harmful emissions and help bring about a brighter, lower-carbon future.
I will use this page to post details of the government's actions to tackle this problem. Ultimately it requires each and every one of us to alter our habits and preferences and I do hope that as many people as possible within the constituency will join me in making better, greener choices for the future.
What has already been done
Climate Change Levy (2001)
We introduced the Climate Change Levy in 2001, which, by taxing corporate energy bills, is providing incentives for businesses to become more efficient. In addition, the proceeds are helping to support the Carbon Trust in its efforts to foster the development of lower-carbon technologies.
The Renewables Obligation (2002)
The Renewables Obligation came into force in April 2002, requiring all electricity suppliers to source 10% of their supply from renewable sources by 2010, increasing to 20% by 2020. As a result, there are currently 134 operational wind farms in the UK, powering the equivalent of over 1 million homes, with many more under construction and in the planning stages.
Energy Efficiency Commitment
The introduction of the Energy Efficiency Commitment and changes made to building regulations in 2002, 2005 and again this year have lead to a 40 per cent improvement in the energy efficiency of new buildings.
Emissions from Government Buildings Cut
We have also taken the lead by cutting the emissions of government buildings and the wider public sector. As a result, public sector emissions had fallen to about 28 per cent below 1990 levels by 2004.
‘Microrenewables’
The government is also supporting a number of initiatives to promote more localised production of energy through decentralised energy production and the use of ‘microrenewables’ by individual households as well as promoting new technologies to make it easier for people to reduce the amount of energy they are using in their homes.
The Climate Change Bill (2006/07)
The Climate Change Bill will make the government’s long-term goal of a 60% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 a legally binding target. In addition it will introduce interim targets, probably at five-year intervals. Short-term targets of this type are preferable to annual targets as they provide flexibility to cope with a particularly cold winter, for example. This will prevent targets being routinely missed and their credibility undermined.
Further information on this bill and your views can be found in the "Bills before parliament and your lobbying section" follow the link below:
Other Useful Links
- The Carbon Trust
The Carbon Trust is an independent company funded by the Government. Its role is to help the UK move to a low carbon economy by helping business and the public sector reduce carbon emissions now and capture the commercial opportunities of low carbon technologies
- DEFRA - Climate Change
all the details from the Dept for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the issue of Climate Change and on the government's strategy for tackling it
- Climate Change and Poverty
information from DFID about the link between climate change and development and the challenges global warming poses in terms of tackling poverty.
- Climate Change - The UK Programme 2006 (PDF, 2144K)
This comprehensive document outlines the government's most recent strategy to tackle climate change. It sets out what has been achieved and what has yet to be done.
- BBC Weather - Climate Change
Special report by the BBC on the evidence for and possible solutions to the problem of climate change