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media release everyone - Scotland's environment groups campaigning together (500,000 supporters, 26 organisations, ONE voice) New climate pollution figures released today Monday 21 March 2005
Environmentalists today (Monday 21 March) welcomed new Government figures showing emissions of greenhouses gases have fallen by an average of one per cent a year since 1997. [1] However, the groups warned that a pledge to cut carbon dioxide by 20 per cent will not be achieved without new polices.
Speaking on behalf of a coalition of 26 Scottish environment groups [2] campaigning for action to tackle climate change President of Scottish Environment LINK, Fred Edwards, said:
"These figures reveal that the UK has been making progress in cutting emissions. However, with the threat of climate change growing every day, we need to see cuts in emissions every year from now on. We can no longer afford to see increases in emissions like we witnessed in 2003. Delivering the promised 20 per cent cut in carbon dioxide is still very much needed.
"During the run up to the general election we will be watching to see which parties are prepared to rise to the climate challenge and come forward with credible policies to deliver year-on-year cuts in climate pollution."
More information:
ON THE CAMPAIGN:
NOTES
TO EDITORS:
Emissions of greenhouses gases have fallen by an average of one per cent a year since 1997, figures published by Defra show.
The UK is on course to meet its Kyoto targets. It is estimated that CO2 emissions will be about 13 per cent below 1990 levels in 2010 and that emissions of all greenhouses gases will be around 20 per cent below.
The Government is currently reviewing its Climate Change Programme with a view to ensuring its more ambitious domestic target - for a 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide - will be achieved by 2010. The outcome of this consultation will be announced this summer. It is estimated that the existing Climate Change Programme - started in 2000 - has succeeded in reducing CO2 levels by about 4 per cent compared to what would have happened otherwise. Emissions of all greenhouse gases per unit of GDP have fallen by 3.58 per cent per year since 1997; faster than the 3.12 per cent per year achieved in 1990-7, through a combination of measures to reduce CO2 and non-CO2 emissions.
Falls of emissions of methane, nitrous oxide and the fluorinated compunds have been particularly significant and show 41 per cent reductions since 1990. Emissions of these gases fell by 10 per cent between 1990 and 1997 and by 34 per cent between 1997 and 2003, mainly because of integrated pollution prevention and control, diversion away from landfill for waste, increased utilisation of landfill gas and the UK emissions trading scheme.
As expected, the figures for carbon dioxide increased between 2002 and 2003. The increase, was 2.2 per cent as against the provisional figures released last year which suggested a 1.5 per cent increase.
The increase in 2003 is largely due to the greater use of coal for electricity generation, and a decrease in net imports of electricity from the continent. Provisional estimates for 2004 will be released at the end of the month.
Full information: http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2005/050321d.htm
[2] The everyone campaign is an initiative from Scottish Environment LINK, the umbrella body for Scotland's environmental organisations. Campaigning together as the everyone coalition, the groups plan to mobilise their collective half a million supporters to challenge politicians to step up action to cut global climate change. Using the slogan 'cut climate change, turn the heat up on your MP' the groups have published a series of election demands they wish politicians to take action on.
The everyone campaign is demanding that politicians come forward with policies that will deliver year-on-year progress toward a cut of at least 20 per cent in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010, and put us on a path to a 60 per cent cut by 2050.
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