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media release
everyone -
Scotland's environment groups campaigning together (500,000 supporters,
26 organisations, ONE voice)
Election:
where do the parties in scotland stand on climate?
Wednesday 27 April 2005
Environment groups compare manifestos on climate change
With just over a week left to go until the general election,
Scotland's
environmentalists today (Wednesday 27 April) gave their verdict on how
each
of the main political parties were proposing to tackle the biggest
problem
facing the planet - climate change.
Scottish Environment LINK's everyone
campaign today released the results of its analysis of the party manifestos.
The Green Party
and Scottish Socialist Party do well. However, there is little
to choose between Labour and the Liberal Democrats, while the Conservatives
and
SNP were left trailing. [2]
The everyone campaign is an initiative from Scottish
Environment LINK, the umbrella body for Scotland's environmental organisations.
With more
than 90% of Scots supporting tougher action on climate change, the campaign
analysed the climate policies of the 6 main parties. Their main manifestos
were measured against the campaign's own set of manifesto proposals,
and examined for potential contradictions.
President of Scottish Environment LINK and spokesman
for the everyone campaign, Fred Edwards, said:
"Given that nearly every voter thinks more should
be done to cut climate change it is very disappointing that the main
parties have not had more
to say on the subject. Even where parties do make promises they are less
than they have promised before or are hard to believe as the same manifesto
supports new road schemes or expanded air travel. When it comes to stopping
climate change half measures just won't be good enough.
"Climate change is the biggest threat to the planet.
The parties should be offering us the prospect of clean energy, radical
transport alternatives
and tough action on business emissions. However, when it comes to its
climate-saving policies, it is clear that every party has room for improvement."
LINK opposes new nuclear power plants as a solution to
climate change, promoting energy efficiency and a broad range of renewables
as the way
forward for energy. On nuclear power, Fred Edwards commented:
"Despite recent reports in the media no party actually
admits in its manifesto to being pro-nuclear while four parties absolutely
rule out new nuclear
reactors, the Lib Dems more strongly than ever before."
Fred Edwards continued with comments on each Party's
manifesto:
Scottish Conservatives:
"The Tories promise that Britain will 'play its part in combating climate
Change' but their proposed measures would only make a small difference,
while their words on transport suggest that total emissions would
be more likely to go up than down. Reading their manifesto it is hard to
believe that the Tories are serious about climate change."
Scottish
Green Party:
"The Greens have taken climate change as a strong theme running throughout
their manifesto. This is very welcome and gives the issue the support
it deserves. They include a wide range of policy proposals and make
commitments on all of the issues we raised on climate change."
Scottish Labour
Party:
"The Labour manifesto says much on climate change but then also promises
to build lots more roads. Their promise again to deliver on the
1997 manifesto pledge of a 20% reduction in CO2 by 2010 is very welcome
but their record in the UK and in Scotland shows that they are a long way
from delivering on this. Despite Mr Blair's fine word on climate
change, the truth is that Labour are not offering much more than they did
in 1997.
"Conspiracy theorists will be interested to see that
there is no mention of new nuclear reactors in the whole 112 page manifesto."
Scottish
Liberal Democrats:
" In 1997 the LibDems won the bidding war on climate change, promising
to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% by 2010, compared to Labour's
20%. Despite including climate change in their 10 pledges, this time round they
are
much vaguer, promising only to meet the UK's weaker obligations
under the Kyoto Protocol, albeit ahead of time. There can be no doubt that
the LibDems are well intentioned on the environment but their
recent record of opposing congestion charging in Edinburgh and supporting
the
M74 and the Aberdeen bypass call into questions their commitment
on the issue of climate change."
Scottish National Party:
" The SNP manifesto has the admirable virtue of brevity, but unfortunately
this means it contains few details of what the party would
actually do. It is particularly disappointing that they make no mention at all
of
climate change - the only one of the six parties which fails
to do so. The Party remains absolutely against new nuclear reactors, but
their enthusiasm for North Sea oil conflicts with any promises which
they
might make about taking tough action on climate change.
"The SNP have a separate environment mini-manifesto
which makes a number of sensible commitments on climate change, but not
mentioning
the biggest environmental issue in their main manifesto just isn't good enough."
Scottish
Socialist Party:
"The SSP manifesto acknowledges climate change as an immediate threat
and proposes some imaginative new ideas, as well as opposing
major road building and new nuclear reactors. However they seem a little
confused over what targets they are actually aiming for. They are honest
enough
to mention their part in opposing the Edinburgh congestion
charging scheme, but their subsequent claim to be for congestion charging
in theory
lacks credibility."
ENDS
Media/interview contacts: Helen McDade: 01887 820449 and
Dr Richard Dixon on 07867 721260
NOTES TO EDITORS:
[1] 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
aim 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 campaign is providing user-friendly information
packs and has launched a campaigning website: http://www.everyonecan.org
with
briefing materials
and information on contacting candidates.
The everyone
cut climate change campaign is open to any group which agrees with the
campaign aims and is currently
supported
by: Association
of
Regional and Island Archaeologists, Badenoch and Strathspey
Conservation Group, Biological Recording in Scotland,
Butterfly Conservation
Scotland, Cairngorms Campaign, Friends of the Earth Scotland,
Greenpeace UK,
Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust, John Muir Trust,
Marine Conservation Society, Mountaineering Council of
Scotland,
The National Trust for
Scotland,
North East Mountain Trust, Plantlife, Ramblers' Association
Scotland, Reforesting Scotland, RSPB Scotland, ruralScotland,
Soil Association
Scotland, Scottish Countryside Rangers' Association,
Scottish Wild Land Group, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Sustrans
Scotland,
TRANSform
Scotland,
Woodland Trust Scotland and WWF Scotland.
[2] 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. The campaign
groups also set out six key areas where action could
be taken
to cut emissions:
-
introduce domestic and commercial energy efficiency targets to achieve
a 40% improvement by 2020
-
make the price of all transport journeys more fairly reflect their
cost to the environment
-
ensure all new large public buildings include Combined Heat and
Power and/or renewables
-
set tough emissions trading targets for power companies and industry
-
double research and development investment in the full range of
renewable energy technologies
-
create a UK task force to take forward action to address climate
change
[3] A YouGov poll for WWF found widespread
public support for tougher Government action on climate change, with
almost 50%
of respondents
expecting climate change to cause serious problems within
their lifetime. http://www.wwf.org.uk/news/scotland/n_0000001509.asp
Key
quotes from each manifesto<<<
Scottish Conservatives:
"end Labour*s war on the motorist" "modernise our road network" "ensure
Britain plays its part in combating climate change" "phase
out the use of harmful HFCs" "greater incentives
to make homes and offices more energy-efficient" "cuts
in Vehicle Excise Duty and increased grants [to]
significantly reduce the cost of cars
with low carbon emissions" "supporting
the development of a broad range of renewable energy
sources" "energy
efficiency must play an increasingly important role"
Scottish
Green Party:
"Action on climate change forms a centrepiece of this manifesto" "building
an international consensus for action on climate
change and for a fair deal for developing countries" "a longterm
energy plan built on energy efficiency and renewable energy" "Contraction-Convergence
scheme to share fairly the world's carbon emissions
between rich and poor countries" "share our knowledge of energy
efficiency and renewable energy technology with governments across the
globe" "introduce
import taxes for countries that maintain an unfair
trading advantage by not complying with climate change treaties" "UK
Climate Change Programme the most ambitious governmental programme
in the
world" "a UK task force headed by the Prime
Minister and the First Ministers of the devolved
countries, working for year-on-year reductions
in greenhouse gas emissions" "tough emissions
reduction targets for power companies and industry" "phased
withdrawal of fossil and nuclear electricity generation
and ambitious energy efficiency measures
in all sectors leading to a target of 40% reduction
in demand by 2020 and establish renewable energy
targets for fuel, heating and transport" "ensure
all new public buildings include Combined Heat and
Power and/or renewable energy technologies" "end
fuel poverty" "make
the price of all transport journeys more fairly reflect
their cost to the environment" "rule out
building any new nuclear power stations" "make
Scotland the world's first 'fossil-fuel-free' state
by 2050 without resorting to nuclear power"
Scottish
Labour Party:
"develop Scotland into the Green Energy Capital of Europe" "energy
policy that places the challenge of climate change
at the heart of our energy policy" "[transport] spending *1
billion per year, of which 70 per cent will be targeted on public transport" "completing
the gaps in the road network and will make major
investment to complete the M74, upgrade the A8 and A80,and build the
second Kincardine Bridge
and the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route" "support
the growth in bus provision" "new rail
services and rail lines" "build
on the new air routes to Scotland we have funded" "We
will tackle congestion on our roads towards a
national system of road-pricing" "[include]
aviation in the EU's emissions trading scheme" "lead
internationally on climate change look beyond
Kyoto and promote an international dialogue
to reach agreement on the long-term goals and action
needed to stabilise the level of greenhouse gases
in the atmosphere." "committed
to achieving a 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide
emissions on 1990 levels by 2010" "A 60
per cent reduction by 2050 remains necessary and
achievable" "seek high standards of
energy efficiency in the public and private sectors,
and to
support emissions trading
in Europe
and beyond* *investing in energy-efficient homes"
Scottish
Liberal Democrats:
"Winter Fuel Payment as a voucher redeemable against insulation and energy
saving materials" "make sure that Britain
achieves its targets from the Kyoto Protocol well
before the deadline" "long-term
goal is 'contraction and convergence'" "ambitious
targets for renewable energy" "Britain
and the EU must take the lead on negotiations for
the next set of targets for greenhouse gas emissions" "Transport
is a source of increasing greenhouse gas emissions.
We recognise the role of cleaner, greener fuels in
tackling these emissions" "potential
to produce considerably more energy crops" "measures
to reduce energy use overall - for example through
better home insulation which
will also tackle the 'fuel poverty'" "at
least 20 per cent of the UK's electricity derives
from a range of renewable sources by
the year 2020" "not replace existing nuclear
power stations" "we
need a charging regime for car use which reflects
both congestion and need" "*1 billion by
2006, with 70% going to public transport" "[reform]
the Vehicle Excise Duty system to cut tax altogether
on cars that pollute least, funded by increasing
it on those that pollute more" "a
national road user charging system based on location,
congestion and pollution" "freight interchanges
to facilitate growth in rail freight" "press
for international agreement on extending emissions
trading to aviation [and] per-aircraft charges" "oppose
the construction of international airports on new
sites" "change
the Climate Change levy into a Carbon Tax"
SNP:
"a Scottish Oil Fund to provide an income from our oil wealth for
future generations" "there is still a lot more oil in Scottish
waters" "continue
the fight against new Nuclear Power Stations
in Scotland"
The Scottish Socialist Party:
"We recognise the threat posed by climate change is real, immediate and
far more malignant than any other challenge
facing modern society." "generally
support the expansion of windfarm development" "work
together [on climate] with expert environmental
groups from Scottish Environmental
Link" "we acknowledge the impact
of road and air traffic in accelerating global
warming" "large scale investment
in rail, bus and ferry networks" "reduction
in fuel poverty" "Public
ownership of North Sea oil with a proportion
of the revenues to be ring-fenced for investment
in research and development of alternative
energy sources,
such as wave and solar power and biomass" "bring
corporate wind-farms into public ownership" "A
major shift of freight from road to rail" "end
to tax exemption on aviation fuel" "phasing
out of fossil fuels and nuclear power" "fight
the North East M74 extension" "not
opposed to fair, progressive congestion charges" "extensive
network of safe, well-maintained and well-lit
cycle tracks" "Abolition of fuel
poverty in all of Scotland's homes by 2010"
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