Summary
In January 2004, Professor Sir David King, Chief
Scientific Adviser to the Government described climate change
as "the most severe problem that we are facing today—more
serious even than the threat of terrorism". The Prime Minister
has since declared climate change to be one of the two priority
issues for the UK's Chair of the G8 and forthcoming Presidency
of the EU during 2005.
This report examines some of the key areas in the
review of the UK Climate Change Programme in the light of the
UK's domestic targets to reduce CO2 emissions by 20%
below 1990 baseline levels by 2010, and the legally binding target
set by the Kyoto Protocol to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases
by 12.5% below 1990 levels by 2008-2012. It also addresses some
of the key priorities for the UK's Presidencies of the EU and
G8 during 2005.
The Government should not use the review of the UK
Climate Change Programme to water down its challenging domestic
targets, but use it as an opportunity to incorporate tougher measures
across all sectors to reduce the UK's greenhouse gas—and
particularly CO2—emissions to meet those targets.
We recommend that a Minister for climate change or Cabinet Committee
be appointed to address this issue across all Government departments.
It is imperative that all departments acknowledge both the global
importance and the urgency of this issue.
We recognise that important work is being done on
the industrial side and efforts are being made to encourage energy
production from alternative sources. However, the Government is
failing to get to grips with encouraging energy efficiency at
the household level and has no serious strategy to reduce emissions
from transport. We acknowledge that the Government's objectives
and level of commitment to mitigating climate change is clear,
but the policy measures thus far implemented to achieve them are
currently 'out of kilter'. The challenge is to achieve a balance
between meeting the targets through energy saving measures and
by adopting alternative forms of energy supply—including
electricity, heating and transport fuel—which have lower
greenhouse gas emissions than at present.
We underline the importance of increasing the uptake
of easily implemented measures at the household level, such as
installing insulation and energy-saving light-bulbs. These represent
'low-hanging fruit' which we recommend to the Government as an
excellent means of both reducing greenhouse gas emissions and
raising public awareness.
To achieve international engagement on the issue
of climate change during the UK's Presidencies of the EU and G8
in 2005, the UK Government must lead by example and demonstrate
that tough emissions reductions can be achieved in a thriving
business environment.
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