UN Climate Negotiations in Copenhagen - The Liberal Democrat Narrative
November 27, 2009 3:07 PM
The next parliament is likely to be the last that can stop runaway climate change. And there is only one mainstream party that is serious about the environment and in a position to defend it: the Liberal Democrats.
Copenhagen is a vital staging post in the international fight to reduce carbon. But - with its poor track record - the UK Government won't have the credibility to help push through a good deal.
Labour has failed to cut emissions in the past and refuses to commit to what science demands in the future. We are still at the bottom of the European league table for levels of renewable energy, only above Malta and Luxemburg. And the level of Green taxation has actually fallen whilst Labour have been in government.
The Conservatives are no better. Cameron talks the talk on the environment but his party are unwilling to take the tough policy choices that are needed. They have refused to sign up to tough targets for cutting emissions nationally and in Tory run London and Cameron's own local council they have failed to sign up to the excellent 10:10 campaign. And tackling climate change is going to take a huge international effort, with Europe at its heart. But instead of playing their part in this they have chosen to align themselves in Europe with extremists who deny climate change is even a problem.
The Liberal Democrats are different. We are the only party in UK politics who have committed to ambitious and detailed plans to cut carbon emissions here at home, putting the UK in a much better position to take a lead abroad. And we deliver on our commitments; with more Liberal Democrat councils than either of the other two parties having signed up to the 10:10 campaign. This includes all the Liberal Democrat run core cities; with Lib Dem run Newcastle recently being named the country's Greenest city and six Lib Dem led cities in the top ten. We have clear politics that will make Britain carbon neutral by 2050.
We will reduce emissions faster and more effectively than any other party. And we will make sure that every home is properly insulated within 10 years of taking power.
There is only a small window of opportunity to stop dangerous climate change. Only the Liberal Democrats will take it.
Key policies
UK government must show leadership at home by…
- Saying yes to an immediate 42% reduction in the UK emissions by 2020 before leaving for the Copenhagen climate talks (the Government is currently committed to 34%).
- Saying yes to a ten-year programme to offer the opportunity for every home to be a warm home by 2020.
- Saying yes to 40% of all our electricity from renewable sources by 2020 (the Government is currently committed to 30%).
- Saying no to the third runway at Heathrow.
- Saying no to new dirty coal power stations without full CCS.
- Saying no to the nationalised banks investing public money into Tar Sands.
Europe needs to influence the climate talks by…
- Committing now to a unilateral EU reduction of 30% by 2020 (against a 1990 baseline) ahead of the talks and adopt a target of a 40% reduction on completion of an international agreement.
- Commit to supporting a global finance deal worth $160bn per year from developed countries to help developing countries cut there emissions, without double-counting emissions reductions.
- Introduce further confidence measures to cap-and-trade aviation and shipping; halt deforestation; stop extracting Tar Sands and unconventional fossil fuels.
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