Examination of Witnesses (Questions 160
- 161)
WEDNESDAY 20 DECEMBER 2000
THE RT
HON MICHAEL
MEACHER, MP, DR
DAVID FISK
AND MR
DAVID WARRILOW
Dr Jones
160. What efforts are being put in to manage
the regional impacts of climate change and are local government
bodies and regional agencies getting the right advice? What is
the relationship between your own department and other government
agencies in local government?
(Mr Meacher) We did set up the United Kingdom Climate
Impacts Programme and that has produced a number of regional scenarios
of climate change in the case of the North West, the South East
and the East Midlands and in terms of the devolved administrations
of Scotland and Wales, and the other regions are, I understand,
either being planned now or are underway. I have launched a couple
of these along with the authors and I think they are very good.
They are detailed, they are specific, and I think they do have
clear recommendations of the changes that are necessary as well
as the unexpected and unpredicted changes which up to now I think
most people have not contemplated. The United Kingdom Climate
Impact Programme 1998 climate change scenarios were sent by DETR
to all local authorities. We have said that we will be helping
local authorities develop strategies to adapt to climate change
as well as, of course, to assist them in cutting greenhouse gas
emissions. The emphasis is now on this balance between trying
to prevent further greenhouse gas emissions, to try and restrict
this up to now inexorable growth, although we can only do that
internationally. We are already sufficiently far down the track
that we have to put a lot of emphasis and policy-making into trying
to adapt. The floods are the best example and the action in terms
of the flood plains. The Government over the current year is putting
£400 million into planning to prevent disasters resulting
from floods. Many people think that that is not enough. Adaptation
is increasingly the central item immediately on the Government's
agenda but we must not lose sight, of course, of the long-term
aim internationally together with other countries, of reducing
greenhouse gases globally.
161. Thank you very much indeed, Minister, for
a most interesting 75 minutes. We have enjoyed putting the questions
to you and receiving your answers and we hope it has not been
too unpleasant an experience for you. You seem to have survived
it extremely well. We are very grateful, too, to Dr Fisk and Mr
Warrilow for coming along and supporting you. We look forward
to a letter from Mr Warrilow in due course. We hope, Minister,
that you will find our report interesting, not just the summary
of it but the whole report in due course (if it is allowed to
get to you!) because it will be our view on how the whole of the
scientific advisory system is operating in government. You have
helped us with one chapter of it, albeit a significant chapter,
and we hope the Report will be of some help. Once again, we thank
all three of you for being with us this afternoon.
(Mr Meacher) May I say on my side that we take the
reports of all the select committees very seriously and I know
that from the effort that goes into it and the care with which
I look at the main recommendations, but I think this particular
Committee has already established a very significant reputation
certainly with what you said in regard to GMOs and I am expecting
the same high standards and also an earnest and urgent response
from the Government.
Chairman: Thank you very much indeed.
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