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Urge Government to lead the way on tackling climate change
Please note that the consultation has now closed.
A Climate Change Bill was included in the Queen’s Speech last November.
On 13 March, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published its Draft Climate Change Bill. We warmly welcome the decision to place carbon budgeting at the heart of this draft. A big thank you to the nearly 300 members and supporters who put pen to paper and contributed to this success.
However, whilst the draft Bill shows promise there are several key areas where it falls short. There is now an important opportunity for you to urge the Government to take control of its carbon emissions, and lead the world in taking the action needed to avoid catastrophic climate change.
There are now six weeks remaining of the period of public consultation on the content of the draft Bill. Please support our campaign by making a submission to the consultation and taking this opportunity to let Defra know how the draft Bill can be improved to secure the best outcome for birds, wildlife and people.
Submissions can be made in the form of a letter or e-mail.
Letters should be sent to: Patrick Erwin/James Hardy, Climate Change Legislation Team, Area 4/F5, Ashdown House,
123 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6DE.
E-mails should be sent to: climatechangeconsultation@defra.gsi.gov.uk.
Submissions must be received before 12 June 2007.
Points to include in your submission
Please include one or more of the following points in your submission:
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Section 6 of the Bill should include a duty on Government to achieve its targets in a sustainable way.
Whilst the possibility of catastrophic climate change is very real, it is not the only threat to our natural environment and we must ensure that we address it in ways that do not further damage biodiversity. We can meet our targets in sustainable ways by focussing on measures such as energy efficiency, the development of a broad mix of renewables and demand management but there is a risk that biodiversity could be harmed as the result of ill-considered mitigation measures. A good example of where this is already being realised is inappropriately sited large-scale wind farm developments, such as that proposed for the Isle of Lewis. In order to prevent similar mistakes in the future, all policies proposed for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions must be assessed for their sustainability.
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The Bill must establish a stronger obligation to develop and deliver a cross-governmental action programme on adaptation to climate change, with adaptation for birds and other wildlife as one of its key themes.
The current draft Bill includes little on adaptation to climate change, focussing instead on mitigation (measures to reduce the amount of climate change that occurs by reducing carbon dioxide emissions). The Government must invest both at home and abroad in measures that help birds and other wildlife, and the people who depend upon them, to adapt to human-induced climate change. For example, one of the most significant threats posed by climate change is that of shifting geographical ranges, which affects different species in different ways. The effect can be direct, requiring them to move with their preferred climate conditions, or indirect, by causing their prey or even their habitat to move, and some species may need assistance to adapt and move with them.
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The Bill must have a target of a minimum reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of 80 percent by 2050, with annual milestones to show progress. All future targets must be set on the basis of the UK making a fair contribution towards keeping the average global temperature rise below two degrees centigrade.
We welcome the draft Bill’s provisions for establishing a long-term target to reduce emissions. However, this target must fulfil the Government’s commitment to help limit average global temperature rises to two degrees centigrade above pre-industrial levels. The best current science has demonstrated that this can only be achieved by preventing the concentration of carbon dioxide equivalent in the atmosphere from rising above 450 parts per million. For the UK to make its fair share of the cuts needed will require a minimum 80% reduction by 2050. To make sure Government keeps on track it must have a series of annual milestones showing the progress it intends to make on a year-by-year basis.
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The budget for reducing carbon dioxide emissions must be broken down by Government into targets for each emitting sector as a requirement under Section 6 of the Bill.
Currently, the draft Bill does not require Government to give targets to the different sectors that emit carbon dioxide – transport or energy for example. It is essential that the Bill requires Government to consider emissions at the sectoral level. If they fail to do this there will be little, in practical terms, to link policy and delivery in key sectors of the economy to achieve a balance of effort between sectors.
The Draft Climate Change Bill is intended to provide a UK framework and it is likely that further legislation will be developed in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The RSPB will be working with the UK parliament and the devolved administrations to ensure the right outcomes for climate change and wildlife.
Please send copies of your submissions, and any replies to: Steven Roddy, Climate Bill Consultation Campaign, FREEPOST ANG6335, The RSPB, UK Headquarters, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, SG19 2BR. You can also e-mail: campaigns@rspb.org.uk. This will help us monitor the progress of our campaign.
Taking the time to write a letter can make a real difference, thank you very much for your support.
Last modified: 26 April 2007