A coalition of leading UK organisations has today welcomed an initiative by the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives to establish a cross-party consensus for action on climate change. The groups are calling on the government to join the initiative.
The Prime Minister has described climate change as "so far-reaching in its impact and irreversible in its destructive power, that it alters radically human existence." But UK emissions of carbon dioxide have risen under Labour.
The two opposition parties are calling for year on year reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, an annual report to Parliament on progress and a monitoring mechanism to ensure that the UK is on course to meet its targets. A bill, which would make the government legally responsible for annual three percent reductions in carbon dioxide emissions is already before Parliament and is backed by over 250 MPs.
The coalition of groups backing today's Liberal Democrat/Conservative initiative includes organisations from industry to development groups. The breadth of the coalition shows both the disproportionate impact climate change would have on the most vulnerable and poorest groups, and the need for business to have certainty on the government's future approach to guide investment and long term planning.
The coalition members include: ACT-Active Citizens Transform, Association for the Conservation of Energy, Christian Aid, Combined Heat and Power Association, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Help the Aged, New Economics Foundation, People and Planet, Sustainable Energy Partnership, Transport 2000 and World Development Movement.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Tony Juniper, director of Friends of the Earth said:
"Tough action is desperately needed to tackle climate change. Today's initiative from the Liberal Democrats and Conservative party seeking to establish a cross-party consensus on tackling climate change hits the nail squarely on the head. Annual, legally-binding cuts in carbon dioxide are the best way to ensure that the UK gets on the right path. This is why we are all backing the Climate Change Bill which is currently before Parliament. If the government is serious about tackling the problem it should back the bill."
For more information, contact the Greenpeace press office - 0207 865 8255.
