Further supplementary memorandum submitted
by Our World Foundation (U20b)
1. The Chairman: Re
the achievement of the government's 2010 10.4% renewables target;
additional actions to assist the achievement of the Government's
2010 10.4% renewables target [Q208]
1.1 The Mechanism
The key requirement is to establish a Small
group of visionary parties, ideally including Hermann Scheer who
led Germany's renewable expansion since the German Federal Environment
Ministry has presented a long term sustainability model, which
shows that renewable energy could contribute up to 58% of national
primary energy by 2050, supported by significantly improved energy
productivity (3-5% pa). Additionally the European Renewable Energy
Council (EREC) recently broke down the growth rates of renewable
energy sources up to 2040, by decade, to show a possible 47% penetration
of renewables into global energy supply by 2040 under an "Advanced
International Policies" (AIP)scenario.
These are models and policies which should be
examined by the group, who would access best practise and policies
internationally and determine a "blue print" for the
rapid UK and international deployment of renewables. Germany's
and EREC's policies and measures may be key to this. Once the
best international "blue print" is determined, this
can then be invoked not only within the UK to set the example
but also internationally as the Global Climate Change/Renewable
Energy Plan through the UK's leadership of the EU and G8 and with
the UNFCCC/Kyoto process. The summary target would be the transfer
from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, so that 60-80%
of a country's energy were procured from renewable energy sources
by 2050-60. The group would work under the auspice of the PM,
Climate Minister and Climate Change Department.
Further UK considerations additional to those
given in the evidence session are :
1.2 NETA/BETTA is the main problem—we
need to modify the regulatory regime and adopt the German REFIT
model. Also embrace REFIT for community projects and allow REFIT
type schemes to run in parallel with the EU-ETS (the EU and UK
want the ETS to become the only scheme- but one size will not
fit all, we need a diversity of funding styles).
1.3 Push business consumers ( especially outside
the EU ETS like the retail sector) to buy green energy, as advocated
by the Carbon Disclosure Project as well as getting domestic consumers
to sign up to green tariffs and support planning applications.
1.4 Enlist consumer power: The RO rules make
it hard for electricity supply companies to offer meaningful green
power tariff schemes to consumers—they have to use sources
that are additional to (or retired from) the RO system. Given
the scarcity of green power in the UK, this means slow growth.
(only about 60,000 subscribers so far—and most of those
are for fund schemes, not supply schemes). By contrast, in the
rest of the EU (Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands in particular)
supply schemes are very popular- over 2m subscribers. So ring
fence some capacity for the consumer market—maybe support
it with a REFIT scheme.
1.5 Accept mine methane into the RO.
1.6 Create a serious government industry partnership
to do what is needed to solve the problems.
1.7 Introduce an Incremental Climate tax on
all fossil fuel sourced energy supplies to make them more expensive
than renewables. The tax should be applied to the climate change/renewable
energy budget to provide funding for the significant deployment
of renewables. While the tax is rising, consumers must be educated
on the issue, and provided with the opportunity to switch to renewables
and more efficient products.
1.8 Have a Climate Change Minister and lead
department responsible for co-ordinating all climate change related
activities—if this could be progressed internationally it
would also mean that in each country there would be one key port
of call regarding climate change related matters. A Minister should
also have final say on all his departments activities which would
ensure all areas were progressed with climate change at the heart
of all initiatives rather than any other agenda. This department
could also borrow from the business world in terms of creating
a Change Programme, that will transform other departments into
recognising that climate change is a fundamental, permanent part
of their brief. The Prime Minister should oversee it and the project
could be chaired by a Cabinet Minister tasked with ensuring that
all policies in every department are reviewed in light of climate
change, that all MPs and civil servants are properly briefed and
accept it is a critical issue and become involved in the process
of tackling it. It would enforce departments to produce a plan
that collectively will deliver the UK's 2050 target. It will ensure
the electorate understands and actively supports the climate change
programme and will produce proposals that will bring other countries
on board. It should be staffed by a mix of civil servants and
non governmental high fliers to ensure cohesion.
1.9 Aim for higher efficiency standards which
will suppress energy growth and increase energy productivity (the
amount of energy required per unit of GDP). Energy intensity is
key to the German model to procure approx 60% of its energy from
renewables by 2050. One should ensure energy efficiency in the
power generation sector and encourage innovation in the manufacturing
sector: by providing capital grants etc (see package of measures
that was announced for wave power and was in line with what industry
asked for?), by providing tax advantages on energy efficient goods,
by progressively taxing non energy efficient goods and long term
phasing them out—using the climate tax to support energy
efficient innovation and by announcing future efficiency standards
(may need to be EU-wide). One also needs a long term (3-5 years
plus) high profile climate change communications programme so
that the energy consumer understands the critical need for them
to save energy and utilise energy efficient technologies. The
climate tax would also encourage people to use less energy.
1.10 Introduce rebate schemes—which link
the buying of energy efficient goods to the purchase of green
power to run them.
2. Paddy Tipping MP: What political policy
priority has global warming got, let us say, in China? That is
where some real growth is taking place. [Q210]
China has actually reduced its energy intensity
(energy/GDP) quite well in recent decades—in fact faster
than has the USA. Their reducing energy intensity curve crossed
over and went below the USA's reducing curve around about 1998
(see "Reading the Weathervane" Worldwatch report 160,
Worldsworth Institute Washington DC 2002.).
This was mainly due to the fact that it was
expanding rapidly and installing new more efficient power plants
and manufacturing processes, whereas the US was saddled with older
systems. Of course total energy use is still growing. But China
has a very large renewable energy potential—the current
plan is to get 12% of its electricity from renewables by 2020
but in theory they could have much more eg up to 170GW of wind
generating capacity by 2020 (See the EWEA's WindForce12 on China).
A recent study by WADE, the World Alliance for Decentralised Energy
(WADE China Model Dec 2004), has suggested that small/medium scales
decentralised power generation using local sources is much more
relevant for China than conventional large centralised fossil
or nuclear plants since it avoids having to build very expensive
grid links across this vast country, and avoids the energy losses
that would be incurred by long distance energy transmission. That
is also true of many other developing countries eg Africa. Overall
there are around 2 billion people who are unlikely ever to be
served by grids.
3. Patrick Hall MP: How is one to rank all
the extra things countries should do before they are relieved
of debt/How would these Debt-for-Climate Change/Renewable Energy
Plan swaps work? [Q213]
One would not seek to rank health, education,
welfare and climate change/renewable energy—it is however
critical climate change and renewable energy be the fourth consideration
if former debt funds are to be reapplied. This is because—climate
change is already affecting the world's climate—there have
been increased floods, droughts and windstorms part of which may
be attributable to climate change. With such natural disasters
the number of people affected has significantly increased since
the 1960s, the majority of whom are in developing countries—see
www.ourworldfoundation.org.uk/dis-nof.htm. Such changes in the
world's climate cause other impacts which again particularly affect
those in developing regions—see www.ourworldfoundation.org.uk/effects-nof.htm.
Additionally such climatic changes are influencing both insured
and economic losses, and are causing the greatest impacts in developing
countries and to its people—see www.ourworldfoundation.org.uk/plight-nof.htm
under Insured and Economic Losses. It must be noted few people
in developing countries are insured and hence they have no recourse
when their homes are washed or swept away. Hence if climate change
can not be mitigated through the deployment of renewables, peoples
in developing countries" health and welfare will become increasingly
affected—as temperatures rise there may be no place for
education if the purpose of life becomes merely seeking to survive.
By embracing renewable energy developing countries are doing the
most critical thing they can to help their health and welfare
as well as their economic prosperity.
Mechanism to deliver this: a small steering
group of no more than 12 parties from government, the private
sector, aid organisations and environmentalists to take this forward
including ideally Gordon Brown. This group would be different
to the one mentioned in 1 above. It would work with debt relief
parties to assimilate the Debt-for-Climate Change/Renewable Energy
Plan swaps into current debt relief plans. It would also need
to work with the proposed finance and technology groups once they
are set up as well as with the GEF and Kyoto/UNFCCC parties. It
would be responsible for working with a country or countries it
is in partnership with to determine with debt relief parties and
the developing country involved on a country specific basis.
1. What portion of former debt should be
applied to the deployment of renewables?
2. What renewable sources the developing
country has which could be developed with assistance?
3. What would be a conservative and realistic
schedule of deployment of such renewables given additional financial
assistance?
4. How much leverage should be procured
ie will this former debt funding applied to renewables be matched
1:1, 1:5 etc?
5. How this will help the country economically?
6. How can awareness be raised in the developing
country of the need for the expansion of renewables? Perhaps the
partnered nation would also commit to apply some monies towards
this which monies would go a long distance in a developing region.
It would be necessary to make the government, business and peoples
aware of how their country will be affected under increased global
warming. The group would work under the auspice of the Climate
Minister and department.
4. Patrick Hall MP: What can Britain do, not
only when it has got the presidency of the G8 but in the long-term,
perhaps taking up the partnership scheme suggestion? [Q215]
Britain can include the partnership scheme
in the Global Climate Change/Renewable Energy Plan and promote
this plan and concept this year through its leadership of the
EU and G8. Britain should endeavour to get at least initially
a few countries to agree to adopt a Global Climate Change/Renewable
Energy Plan and these countries should firstly determine best
practise to be included in the plan (taking a close look at Germany's
measures) to rapidly accelerate the deployment of renewables.
The partnership scheme should be set up and include at early instance
partnerships with Africa, India, Brazil and China. Britain needs
to promote the recognition that it is imperative developed countries
rapidly and imminently transfer significantly to renewable energy
sources to set the lead before developing countries develop further
through the use of fossil fuels. As well as the provision of financial
and technological assistance through the finance and technological
groups referred to below and the linking of debt-for-climate change/Renewable
Energy Plan swaps delineated in 2 above and the need for communication
programmes to increase awareness of the issue to stimulate support
for the solutions, Britain could also encourage developing countries
to accept emissions quotas so that they can trade the surplus
(as Russia will do). This will give them a financial incentive
to preserve the surplus by developing renewable energy, not expanding
their economies with fossil fuels. Britain also needs to get the
USA to be part of the action—the USA has not committed to
Kyoto as they do not wish to compromise their economic growth—they
may be convinced long term of the economic advantage of expanding
renewables once other nations begin to take a significant lead
on this, particularly as oil prices rise.
Mechanism to deliver this: a finance group,
a technology group and a communications group in both the developed
and developing country. The finance group of no more than 12 parties
should include best people from the investment sector, city/investment
groups/venture capital funds/banks and best people from domestic
energy companies, which companies would be bodies interested in
investing in such regions. ie BP/Shell. The group would also have
government representation including an Export Credit Guarantee
party. Long term developed nations' governments should consider
creating a fund to invest monies into the deployment of renewables
in developing countries, which investment may/may not be short
term contingent upon repayment after X years or may be tied into
deals whereby the developing country agrees to export Y% of the
energy from this renewable source to the developed nation if this
is feasible ie Saharan regions could export wind/solar thermal
resources to parties in Europe. The technology group would comprise
leaders in the renewable energy industry who would be able to
provide the developing region with technological advice and assistance.
It would also include parties from industry organisations eg the
BWEA who could put developing countries in contact with renewable
energy technology manufacturers ie turbine manufacturers for export
of such technologies. It would also look to second professionals
from such companies to the developing region to help them develop
renewable energy industries themselves. The communications groups
in both the developed and developing region would consider joint
ventures in the raising of awareness about climate change—corporate
sponsorship of such communications activities particularly in
the developing region could be considered—the aim would
be to ensure all sectors of society were aware of the climate
change imperative and the critical need for countries to change
to renewable energy sources and embrace energy conservation and
energy efficiency technologies. The three groups would work under
the auspice of the Climate Minister and department.
5. Chairman: If we look specifically at the
UK, what is the route towards a target of 80% of the UK's energy
to be derived from renewable energy sources by 2050-60 [Q220]
5.1 Germany has a long term sustainability model
and policy projecting almost 60% of its energy can be derived
from renewable energy sources by 2050—EREC projects 47.7%
of global energy supply could be procured from renewables by 2040.
We should look at the policies Germany has adopted including the
German Ecotax as well as best practise from other countries including
the EREC breakdown and proposed international policies. Utilising
visionary best minds including Hermann Scheer from Germany and
other key parties a blue print should be determined for the best
way to rapidly expand renewables which may involve measures delineated
in the Global Climate Change/Renewable Energy Plan with further
measures being added to this.
This will likely involve in the UK the replacement
of the RO with the German REFIT scheme which has significantly
assisted Germany's renewables expansion. It is the hope that given
the increased severity of the problem national practises that
are not as effective as others may be overridden and replaced
with more effective measures—the crisis of climate change
taking priority over the continued use of ineffective or slow
mechanisms. With the RO, as a phase, in one could adopt REFT for
community projects before moving towards the full embrace of REFIT.
Once one has such a definitive blue print one should then move
forward quickly and assertively to implement it in the UK as a
Climate Change/Renewable Energy Plan and then globally.
5.2 Additionally one should create a Climate
Change/Renewable Energy Budget of approx £5 billion pa to
provide capital funding for renewable energy plant—this
should be a rolling fund with the government entering joint ventures
with energy companies which ventures may be contingent upon the
energy company acquiring the government's share after X years.
At this point the energy company would pay back the government's
original investment in order to procure the government's share.
The monies would be reapplied to the Climate Change/Renewable
Energy Budget. The budget could be funded by a climate tax similar
to the German Ecotax. For example in 2003 the Ecotax was expected
to generate
19 billion.
5.3 We need to significantly increase our energy
productivity (the amount of energy that is used per unit of GDP)—this
requires significant improvements in energy efficiency—Germany's
2050 model of 58% of energy from renewables is inextricably tied
in with much improved energy productivity. Again we need to study
Germany's approach to increasing energy efficiency. A sizeable
contribution in the UK would be the efficient use of gas.
5.4 Efficient Use of Gas—the UK is currently
on course to become a major importer of gas (from Norway, the
Middle East, north Africa, Malaysia and Russia) yet despite new
high efficiency domestic to industrial scale Combined Heat and
Power (CHP) technologies (80 to 90 plus % efficient) UK policy
is still encouraging huge medium efficiency (60% at best) CCGT
power stations . Furthermore with the rising gas imports (LNG
and piped gas from Russia) there is an energy loss of 20-30% in
liquefaction/re-vapourisation of LNG or pumping gas over long
distances from Russia. Hence there is a need more than ever to
use gas in high efficiency CHP technologies not CCGT—for
both emissions and balance of payments reasons.
We also need to implement a long term and sustained
high profile Climate Change Communications Programme to ensure
the energy consumer in all sectors understands the need for energy
conservation and efficiency as well as the need for their support
for renewables.
5.5 The UK should also consider importing renewable
energy from the Sahara if it can give initial support to countries
in the region to build sizeable wind and solar thermal plants:
The UK currently imports oil, and the Energy
White paper has set a course to import gas to supply over 50%
of our energy needs.
Solar Thermal and Wind in the Sahara
The most obvious very large-scale, cost-effective,
renewable energy resource which could be supplied to the UK and
to the rest of Europe is electricity transmitted by low-loss (high-voltage
direct-current) cables from solar thermal schemes and wind farms
in Saharan Africa. The cables would run under the Med Sea and
across the European mainland. Hydrogen from electrolysis could
also be added to natural gas pipelines. The cost-effective solar
thermal resource of the Saharan countries is many times global
energy demand. Unused land in Morocco alone could generate all
global electricity. To generate the equivalent of all UK electricity
(400 TWhrs/year) which is 36% of the UK's primary energy consumption
would require solar mirror arrays covering an area of 26 miles
by 26 miles. A mirror array 5 miles by 5 miles would generate
the same annual output as a 2GW CCGT power station—which
could easily be using LNG imported from the same country. Detailed
plans for the schemes and transmission routes have already been
drawn up and presented at the Bonn renewables conference by TREC
(Trans-Mediterranean Renewable Energy Cooperation). With endorsement
of UNEP/UNDP, the TREC plan should receive political and financial
support from the EU and NEPAD to become a major factor in tackling
global warming while fostering European and African development.
5.6 Biomass emissions sequestration—The
UK should significantly increase biomass production and lead in
the rapid sequestration of biomass emissions (as well as coal).
By increasing the biomass content as the fuel becomes available
in the UK the output of such schemes could become carbon-negative,
not just carbon-neutral. The electricity produced may be marginally
more expensive than other generation methods but reducing atmospheric
carbon dioxide by the large-scale sequestration of biomass emissions
could be a significant and unique tool to combat catastrophic
global warming. The UK could also lead as a model for other nations
with this practise.
6. Alan Simpson MP: What is the current rate
of the German Ecotax (and further information) [Q231]
485
for 1.000 L of Diesel
(Source : German Embassy 2005)
Germany's red-green coalition government introduced
a set of ecotaxes on 1 April 1999 designed to make energy and
resource consumption more expensive while lowering the cost of
labour. The Ecotax was a tax on petrol, diesel, electricity, heating
oil and natural gas and was introduced in five steps. Labour costs
were cut by reducing pension contributions. By the end of 2002,
the new taxes had brought in an extra
39.3 billion, most of which was used to lower the
pension contributions from their level of 20.3% of gross wages
in March 1999 to 19.1% in January 2002. Employers and employees
have shared the 1.2% saving equally. In 2003 alone it raised
18.6 billion over and above other energy taxes. During
its first five years in force it produced the following results:
— For the first time since the establishment
of the Federal Republic of Germany fuel consumption and CO2
emissions in the transport sector fell for four years in a row
(2000-03) whereas previously they had increased. CO2
emissions were cut by 6-7%.
— Since 1999 the number of passengers
on public transport increased year by year—Up to 1999 they
fell continuously.
— Fuel consumption became a key factor
when buying cars.
— There was an increase in rail freight.
— Car sharing organisations increased
their membership—26% in 2000, 22% in 2001, 8% in 2002, 15%
in 2003 in relation to the previous year.
— Solar thermal installations for hot
water showed double growth rates with renewable energy booming
thanks to the ecotax and the market incentive programme for renewable
energy funded from the ecotax.
— The German Institute for Economic
Research stated the effect of the ecotax on employment was the
creation of 250,000 new jobs by 2003 whereas macro-economic development
was scarcely affected. (Others have stated only 60,000 jobs created.)
Apart from increasing the use of renewable energy
(particularly as a result of the Renewable Energies Act EEG) the
Ecotax reform has been the Federal Government's most successful
climate policy instrument to date. Furthermore escalating damage
caused by climate related natural disasters is increasing. Munich
re affirmed flooding on the Rivers Elbe, Danube and Rhine in 2002
caused financial damage of
9.2 billion in Germany, which shows greenhouse gas
reduction and climate protection is financially worthwhile. (Source:
Green Budget Germany)
7. Mr Lazarowicz MP: Please provide more information
on the work Our World Foundation has been doing towards how the
UK climate change programme should include a strategy communications
plan. The extent of the programme Our World Foundation in coalition
with others is proposing, what it will consist of, and the timescale?
What response there has so far been in discussions with Government
as to the likelihood of that type of communications programme
coming forward. [Q233]
Our World Foundation has been proposing the
need for a UK Article 6 Climate Change Communications Programme
and European Pilot Programme Towards a Long Term Full European
and Global Programme. The objective is to utilise key media to
raise awareness amongst the general public, as well as the private
and public sectors, about the cause, impacts and solutions to
climate change. The role of such a programme is to stimulate support
for renewable energy and its more rapid expansion as well as encouraging
energy efficiency measures and life style changes to mitigate
global warming. Stimulus of the consumer market place may also
influence financial investments in renewable and energy efficient
technologies as well as prompting existing energy companies to
further develop this energy source. It is proposed that the UK
Programme could also form part of a pilot model involving four
European countries as a precursor to a European Climate Change
Communications Programme and long term global programme. It is
proposed that the programme be instigated under Article (Art)
6 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) and be run by an Art 6 Climate Change Steering Group
in the UK, comprising parties drawn from government, the private
sector and NGO's, such coalitions being recommended under COP
8's Art 6 work programme. A working structure of how such a coalition
could physically operate has been proposed and can be obtained
on request. (NB A NOP poll recently found only 3% of the working
population identified domestic energy use as a cause of climate
change.)
The Extent of the Programme:
We are proposing a major high profile climate
change communications programme—The programme should be
sustained for 3-5 years plus (the Art 6 UNFCCC recommend five
year programmes) and should `harness the network' of business,
government and NGO community. For example BP who is leading from
the private sector wants to utilise its networks of petrol stations
to access the energy consumer. Similarly other networks including
banks, supermarkets, travel networks, major companies—Virgin,
the Body Shop (who have run climate change initiatives), utility
companies and such environmental groups such as Friends of the
Earth, RSPB, Greenpeace and WWF could be utilised to maximise
the impact and outreach of the campaign. Furthermore such bodies
could also contribute financial and human resources to maximise
the campaign. As delineated above the UK programme should form
part of a European pilot programme with two/three other European
states towards a long term full European/Global programme. It
is recommended the programme be commenced in 2005 as time is of
the essence. Most importantly we are proposing the need for an
action based campaign—one that prompts people to take action
based on an understanding of the issues at hand and of what they
can do to help. The Communications Programme should have the impact
of the drink/driving or HIV campaigns, with the same tone as the
famine or disaster appeals. ie we need to ask people to help and
take action. The recent Tsunami appeal shows the response of the
global public given a humanitarian crisis. We need to appeal to
the energy consumer on this level. We could focus on a region
such as southern Africa (through SADC) which is projected to become
increasingly drought stricken in the decades to come due to climate
change as well as Bangladesh which is projected to have significant
regions inundated due to sea level rise. Nationals from such countries
could be involved in the UK Climate Change Communications campaign
to bring home to the UK consumer how their actions and emissions
will radically affect these peoples.
The mass public should be asked to:
Sign up to green energy tariffs to stimulate
a market led expansion of renewables , support renewable energy
projects, save energy both at business and in the home, utilize
energy efficient technologies at work and at home including lighting
(LED's), micro-CHP boilers and fuel efficient vehicles, consider
life style changes where necessary, support positive governmental
policies that aim to reduce ghg, including taxes on aviation and
investments in public transport rather than roadbuilding, consider
micro generation supported by tax relief and grants under Clear
Skies, commit to engaging in energy audits and other tools as
provided. Perhaps they could be given incentives to do so or some
form of tax relief, adopt the habit of energy budgeting/recording
(possibly supplanted eventually by a DTQ scheme). Again incentives
would be beneficial. Perhaps some incentive if they reduce their
energy usage by 10%, 20% etc. Try to become carbon-neutral and
be given an incentive to do so.
What response has there been to date from the UK
government?
Sir John Houghton and Christina Hutchins met
with Elliot Morley in January 2004 who stated he wished to implement
the proposed programme. He was also interested in the idea of
a coalition between government, the private sector and non governmental
organisations. We were told to further liaise with DEFRA who were
assessing internally their climate change communications, its
effectivity to date and the barriers to more effective delivery.
Thereafter DEFRA commissioned an independent communications agency—Futerra—whose
brief was to assess the information DEFRA had gleaned and to give
an evidence based proposal as to an "attitude change"
campaign on climate change. Futerra undertook this work and made
presentations to the Climate Change Communications Working Group
and to Lord Whitty and The Rt Hon Elliot Morley.
The Coalition:
At the same time Sir John Houghton wrote to
Lord Browne Chairman of BP with regard to the proposed UK Climate
Change Communications Programme to be implemented as a coalition
between government, the private sector and NGO's. Lord Browne
was supportive of it and his "Distinguished Advisor"
Chris Mottershead has worked closely with us since. We organised
a meeting of key UK climate change concerned parties which included:
BP, Tom Delay/the Carbon Trust, Steve Howard and Alison Lucas/The
Climate Group, Mike Porter/Head of Communications/DEFRA, Bryony
Worthington (and Tony Juniper at a later meeting)/Friends of the
Earth, Nicky Gavron/Deputy Mayor/Greater London Authority, Sir
John Houghton (Chairman), Stephen Tindale/Greenpeace, Francis
Sullivan/HSBC, Dr Andrew Dlugolecki, Nick Grout/Office of Science
and Technology, Fred Dinning/Scottish Power, David Hone and Richard
Sykes/Shell, Sir Crispin Tickell, Mike Hulme/Tyndall Centre, Chris
West/UK Climate Impact Programme, David Russell/Universities Superannuation
Scheme, Andrew Lee/WFF and Christina Hutchins/Our World Foundation
with Janet Morris/Director of Marketing/EST attending a later
meeting. The meeting discussed parties' views with regard to such
a climate change communications programme and also their views
as to it being implemented as a coalition. The meeting was hosted
by BP. Parties were in agreement of the need for such awareness
raising on climate change and agreed that a parties should come
together to implement such a programme. Sir Crispin Tickell suggested
a Taskforce take this forward with the approval of the Prime Minister—which
Taskforce could report directly to the Prime Minister, given his
commitment and concern about this issue particularly for 2005.
Sir John Houghton wrote to the Prime Minister following this meeting
informing him of the meeting's occurrence and of the suggestion
that a Taskforce be formed to take it forward. The Prime Minister
responded in support of the initiative in a letter to Sir John
Houghton and it was recommended a workshop be held over one or
two days to assess the various issues. This Workshop will report
directly to the Prime Minister.
The likelihood of such a programme proceeding
DEFRA are currently considering whether to proceed
with the Futerra recommendations for an "attitude change"
campaign—Futerra are recommending regional and local action
supported by a national roadshow. It is not anticipated as a high
profile "above the line" campaign at this point nor
is it intended in year 1 to tell people what they can do to help.
It is the great hope that with the new scientific findings as
revealed by the International Climate Change Taskforce and the
Hadley Centre projecting 10C/11.9C global average temperature
increases this century and the former highlighting that unless
change can be brought about in the next 10 years we will reach
a point of no return, that as a consequence of these critical
new findings, a major campaign can be implemented in the UK calling
people to take action. Time is of the essence. Also as suggested
we hope such a programme may be implemented as a European pilot
programme perhaps with such partners as Belgium, Germany and an
accession state. Margot Wallstrom when Environment Commissioner
affirmed in writing that she agreed with the need for such a high
profile Climate Change Communications campaign, that she was sending
the details of the proposal to the European Climate Change Programme
and the Johannesburg Renewable Energy Programme for them to consider
implementing. She also invited us to "come forward"
with concrete proposals for co-funding to her funding departments.
She has now moved to communications which may assist our case.
Hence we hope that the Prime Minister/UK Government
may consider implementing such a high profile action based campaign
in coalition with the private sector and NGO community—to
harness the network in a national/international movement driven
towards change. The potential of such a programme to be a European
pilot programme would also compliment the UK agenda. It is the
hope the Workshop can be imminently arranged and report directly
to the Prime Minister for him to determine forward action.
8. Joan Ruddock: What are the implications
of the recent findings regarding global dimming and how much more
seriously, perhaps, this Committee, the Government and everyone
else has got to address global warming because it is possibly
a greater order of magnitude. [Q235]
It is imperative we start acting now much more
seriously and urgently than we have so far. It means that potentially
the rate of warming could almost double to as much as 10C by 2100,
because up till now other pollutants have been concealing the
real size of the problem. This is underlined by a recent exercise
to estimate the sensitivity of the climate system (www.climateprediction.net),
which reported that the upper limit of change could be as high
as 11.9C, rather than the 5.8C projected by the IPCC in 2001.
It may be that we have only Ten Years before a point of no return.
At present however CO2 emissions and energy growth
are continuing to rise internationally.
We need to take significant action for otherwise
we may undermine our planet Earth for many thousands of years.
Many regions may become completely uninhabitable, perhaps if certain
feedbacks are triggered as the Hadley Centre projects many species
may perish. This is no longer something that is projected to significantly
affect remote future generations—it is to affect the existing
population. Our own children and grandchildren may grow up in
a rapidly warming world, with insufficient food and water for
perhaps billions of people, with increased and dramatic floods,
droughts and windstorms, with international conflict as people
flee countries and global economic disarray. We ask that each
person, who is in a position to help effect change—please
does so—we ask that the UK bring together best international
minds in the determination of the most effective way to rapidly
expand renewable energy and then leads internationally with this
Global Climate Change/Renewable Energy Plan so that we may begin
to bring about change—To know that when we look our children
in the eye we know we have done all we can.
Contributors: Sir John Houghton, Dr Andrew
Dlugolecki, Christina Hutchins, Sustainable Energy Consultant:
Professor David Elliot—Director Open University Energy &
Environment Research Unit, Additional Material: Neil Crumpton/
Chairman CHEC Campaign for a Hydrogen Economy.
Please see Global Climate Change/Renewable Energy
Plan document hereafter[4].
7 February 2005
4 Not printed. See www.ourworldfoundation.org.uk/globalplan.doc Back
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