UK outlines climate change bill
2007-03-13 22:40
London - Britain became the first country on Tuesday to outline a legal framework for forcing a cut in greenhouse gas emissions and bringing any government to task if it failed to meet the tough targets.
Prime Minister Tony Blair said the "revolutionary" draft Climate Change Bill showed Britain led the world on tackling climate change, while environment secretary David Miliband described it as an "international landmark".
If approved by lawmakers, the bill would set legally binding limits to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 26% to 32% by 2020 and 60% by 2050.
This would mean that if Blair's government, or any subsequent administration, failed to hit these targets, they could be hauled up before judges.
"A government that fails to meet the requirement under the bill to live within its environmental means will be subject to a judicial review," said Miliband.
The draft bill, which the government hopes to get on the statute books by early 2008, would set five-year "carbon budgets" 15 years ahead to help individuals and businesses plan their consumption.
No reductions in living standards
A new, independent advisory committee will report annually on the government's progress and ministers will have to reply to their findings in parliament.
The bill argues that, while all Britons will have to play their part in tackling carbon dioxide emissions, this will not cause a reduction in living standards.
Instead, ministers argue that changes will happen through investment in low-carbon technology such as wind, wave and solar power, and energy suppliers working to reduce demand as well as just supplying energy.
Miliband said: "We need carrots and we need sticks.
"I don't mind where the carbon reductions come. It's about the public interest and then the market finding a way to do that."
Amid claims from opposition politicians and environmental groups that the measures do not go far enough, Blair said: "This is a revolutionary step in confronting climate change. It sets an example to the rest of the world."
Miliband added that it would allow Britain to argue the case for stringent action to tackle climate change with countries such as India and China.
Global responsibility
"Now I can say to them we are the first country in the world to have a legislative requirement that we will bear our global responsibility to helping tackle this problem," he said.
The bill's publication comes a day after Labour's finance minister Gordon Brown and the main opposition Conservative leader David Cameron sought to seize the "green" vote by setting out rival visions to tackle climate change.
Both men are likely to lead their parties at Britain's next general election and the environment is increasingly seen as a key battleground.