Chris Huhne pledges to halve UK carbon emissions by 2025

The UK announces the most ambitious targets on greenhouse gases of any developed country, after a week of cabinet rifts The UK is to put in place the most ambitious targets on greenhouse gases of any developed country, by halving carbon dioxide emissions by 2025, after a tumultuous week of cabinet rifts on the issue. Agreeing the targets took weeks of wrangling among ministers, but late on Tuesday afternoon the energy and climate secretary, Chris Huhne, announced to parliament that the “carbon budget” – a 50% emissions cut averaged across the years 2023 to 2027, compared with 1990 levels – would be enshrined in law. Connie Hedegaard, the European Union’s climate change chief, hailed the outcome as “very encouraging” and “an example” to other countries, which she said showed that countries could pursue economic growth while cutting emissions. “This is a recognition that to be very ambitious on public spending [cuts] does not mean you can’t be ambitious on climate change targets,” she told the Guardian. David Kennedy, chief executive of the Committee on Climate Change, the government advisory body that proposed the target, said: “This is going to deliver higher [economic] growth for the UK. It could well give us lower electricity prices in the future than our competitors.” But some businesses reacted angrily to the news, arguing that going further than other countries in cutting carbon would damage the competitiveness of British Industry. Terry Scuoler, chief executive of EEF, the industry body for the UK’s manufacturing sector, said: “This is a bad decision for manufacturing.” Huhne – currently at the centre of claims he persuaded someone else to take speeding penalty points on his behalf – said the government would produce plans later in the year laying out ways to compensate energy-hungry businesses for any competitive disadvantage. The policies necessary to meet the new carbon targets will be set out in October. Fears that ministers would reject the Committee on Climate Change’s proposals for pollution limits in the fourth “carbon budget” had prompted an outcry from environmentalist groups . The carbon budget runs from 2023 to 2027, part of efforts to meet legally binding emissions cuts of 80% by 2050, and will put the UK on target for 60% cuts by 2030. There will be a review of the budget in 2014, under a compromise A letter leaked last week appeared to expose a row between ministers. The business secretary, Vince Cable, apparently argued for less ambitious reductions in the 2020s because the targets could limit economic growth. After the letter emerged, a coalition of environmental bodies issued a warning to the prime minister David Cameron that he risked seriously undermining his pledge to lead the “greenest government ever” if he did not back the targets. The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, also seized on the evidence of internal disagreement, writing to Cameron to warn that failing to agree the budget would send “a terrible signal” to business and the rest of the world. But over the weekend Cameron was reported to have stepped in to resolve the fraught battle within the cabinet , with a decision to support the targets. Cameron said today: “In the past twelve months, we have pursued an ambitious green agenda and today, we are announcing the next, historic step. By making this commitment, we will position the UK a leading player in the global low-carbon economy, creating significant new industries and jobs.” Matthew Spencer, director of the Green Alliance, said: “The prime minister has shown real leadership. In the end, No 10 accepted that good economic analysis from the committee on climate change trumped scare mongering from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. The review is an attempt to help Cable save face, but as the EU will not have decided a trajectory by 2014 its very unlikely that it will change anything. Cable should now celebrate the fact that the UK can now become the lead location for investors in low carbon infrastructure and technology, and maximise advantage for UK business.” Keith Allott, WWF-UK’s head of climate change, said: “No other country has set legally binding emission-reduction targets going into the 2020s, and so with this decision the UK is demonstrating genuine leadership on climate change. The Climate Change Act remains a groundbreaking piece of legislation that, with support, will underpin the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy.” But he said the Committee on Climate Change had made clear that the proposed fourth carbon budget was the “absolute minimum” necessary. He added: “The unwillingness of government to accept this recommendation suggests that some Whitehall departments are more committed to action than others.” Katja Hall, director of policy at the CBI, which represents UK business, said: “We support a 50% emissions reduction target by 2025, but we won’t achieve this unless the government gets the short-term policies right. With the green economy potentially bringing in £200bn of investment into the UK’s energy sector alone, we need policies that will foster growth by decarbonising our energy supply, increase energy efficiency and support the competitiveness of our manufacturing base. Ultimately, it is the success of measures such as the green investment bank, electricity market reform and the green deal that will decide whether we meet ambitious emissions targets.” Carbon emissions Green politics Chris Huhne Climate change Fiona Harvey Allegra Stratton guardian.co.uk

Posted by on May 17, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.