Britain pledges to cut greenhouse emissions by 80%

17.10.08 08:03

Britain today became the first country in the world to make a legally-binding commitment to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by the middle of the century, in a dramatic effort to counter global warming.

The pledge came as the European Union reaffirmed its target of slashing carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2020, despite complaints from Italy and Poland that the tough standards will be unaffordable during the current economic downturn.

New Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband told MPs an amendment to the Government's Climate Change Bill will increase the UK's target for emissions cuts in all greenhouse gases by 2050 from 60% to 80%, compared to 1990 levels.

"In tough economic times, some people ask whether we should retreat from our climate change objectives," he said.

"In our view it would be quite wrong to row back and those who say we should, misunderstand the relationship between the economic and environmental tasks we face."

The announcement was hailed as a "great step forward" by environmental campaigners, who believe that industrialised countries must lead the way in reducing global emissions by at least 60% to stave off potentially catastrophic changes in weather patterns.

But there were warnings that the impact of the pledge will be blunted because there is no immediate provision to include the UK's share of emissions from international aviation and shipping.

And campaigners cautioned that Britain must hit its new target by changes in behaviour at home - such as scrapping plans for coal-fired power stations - and not by emissions trading with less developed states.

In his first statement to the House of Commons in his newly-created role, Mr Miliband also pledged to introduce feed-in tariffs to allow small-scale energy producers - such as homes with wind turbines or solar panels - to sell electricity at a guaranteed price.

And he issued a warning to energy companies to come up with plans to reduce charges for customers with pre-payment meters within a month or face legislation to force them to do so.

The announcement on feed-in tariffs will be welcomed by Labour backbenchers, 35 of whom staged the biggest revolt of Gordon Brown's leadership over the issue in April.

Mr Miliband today said he was accepting all the recommendations of the Government-commissioned Committee on Climate Change, chaired by Lord Turner, who last week said an 80% cut was "challenging but feasible" and could be achieved at a cost of 1% to 2% of GDP.

Because of practical problems in allocating emissions from international transport to the UK, the committee recommended that they should not be included in the five-yearly carbon budgets introduced under the Bill.

It was today confirmed that international transport will not initially form part of the carbon target, but officials said that the Bill allows it to be included as and when global deals are reached.

Mr Miliband told MPs: "We all know that signing up to an 80% cut by 2050 is the easy part. The hard part is meeting it, and meeting the milestones that will show we're on track."

Welcoming the announcement, shadow climate change secretary Greg Clark

said: "The choice between aggressive and ambitious action on carbon reduction and a successful, powerful economy is, in fact, not a choice at all - they are one and the same."

But he told MPs there had been a "decade-long void" in the Government's policy, in which "successive ministers have looked the other way rather than address the issue of future energy needs".

Steve Webb, for the Liberal Democrats, also welcomed the new target, but

asked: "Isn't excluding aviation and shipping from the 80% target like saying you are on a calorie-controlled diet but not counting the cream cakes you plan to eat?"

Mr Miliband will have to "wield a big stick" in Cabinet to persuade his colleagues to keep the environment at the forefront of decision-making on issues like airport expansion, he said.

Friends of the Earth said it was "absolutely delighted" by Mr Miliband's announcement.

But executive director Andy Atkins warned that international aviation and shipping were "being picked out for special treatment yet again",

adding: "The Government must listen to the concerns of the public and majority of MPs who want to see a law that covers all the UK's emissions."

And Benedict Southworth, director of the World Development Movement - part of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition - said: "The 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions must actually take place in the UK. We shouldn't pay the developing world to clean up our mess for us through the so-far ineffective EU Emissions Trading Scheme."

CBI deputy director-general John Cridland, said business would play a "crucial" role in meeting the ambitious new target by developing low-carbon energy sources and improving the country's energy efficiency.

"The Government must ensure we have the right policies in place to reach this target," he said.

"It is essential that the Planning Bill, currently being debated in the House of Lords, is passed to allow the building of renewable energy sources and new power stations, as well as other important energy infrastructure."