Greenpeace comment on Labour manifesto

Stephen Tindale, Executive Director, Geenpeace UK

Commenting on Labour's 2005 manifesto commitment to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by 20 percent on 1990 levels by 2010, Greenpeace Executive Director Stephen Tindale said:

"We're pleased this manifesto commitment hasn't been abandoned, but Blair is in serious danger of breaking it. There are no commitments to policies that might actually meet the target. Britain's carbon-dioxide emissions have gone up since 97. Blair has called climate change the gravest environmental threat we face, but he is yet to prove he's serious about fighting it."

In September 2004 Mr Blair described climate change as, "A challenge so far-reaching in its impact and irreversible in its destructive power that it alters radically human existence."

Labour's commitment to reduce CO2 by 20% on 1990 levels was also made in 1997 and 2001. At present British CO2 emissions are rising. Last month it was confirmed the annual total had gone from 14% below 1990 levels to 12%.

Stephen Tindale, who as a New Labour advisor wrote the Party's environmental policy prior to the 1997 election, added: "Drastic action is needed immediately if Blair is to live up to his rhetoric. Instead of re-stating previous targets and claiming he'll continue to take an international lead on the issue, we wanted to see commitments to specific, radical action."

Earlier this year Greenpeace published a 10 point action plan - key steps that Tony Blair must take to fight climate change. They are:

1. Ensure the rapid expansion of renewable energy. The government should fund power connections for offshore energy. This will support the development of wind, wave and tidal power.
2. Support massive expansion of combined heat and power generation. All new housing developments, public and commercial buildings should be required to include combined heat and power generation plants for heating, hot water and electricity. Government should fund changes to local electricity networks to make uptake of combined heat and power and domestic renewable energy generation possible.
3. Set tough environmental standards for all new buildings. Regulations should ensure that all new buildings are built to zero emission standards. Buildings should incorporate renewable power such as solar PV and solar water heating and state-of-the-art energy efficiency.
4. End fuel poverty and encourage energy efficiency. Set high energy efficiency standards for social housing and provide financial incentives and grants to encourage energy efficiency improvements in existing buildings. Energy efficient buildings should be eligible for reductions in Council Tax and Stamp Duty. In addition, there should be zero VAT on energy efficient products.
5. End all government subsidies for dirty fuel industries immediately. The government must stop all subsidies for oil, coal and nuclear power - including export credit guarantees - and invest this money instead in renewable energy schemes.
6. Drop legal proceedings against the European Union to allow UK industry to emit substantially more CO2 under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
7. Make a clear commitment to increase the cost of petrol and diesel. The government needs to send a clear message to car manufacturers and the public that current levels of CO2 emissions and pollution from transport is unacceptable if we are to combat climate change. Revenue raised should be used to improve public transport.
8. Make Vehicle Excise Duty progressive. Better known as car tax, Vehicle Excise Duty should be dramatically increased for inefficient vehicles such as SUVs. Incentives should be provided for state-of-the-art fuel efficient vehicles.
9. Withdraw the Airports White Paper. The government should include aviation in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. There should also be a tax on aviation fuel and an increase in air passenger duty to reflect the true environmental impact of flying. These measures would help reduce air travel and make new runways unnecessary.
10. Fund hydrogen pilot projects. The government should fund local authorities to pilot the infrastructure needed to move to a hydrogen economy.

For more information contact Greenpeace on 0207 865 8255