Post by Taxigirl on Dec 8, 2004 9:21:40 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4077193.stm
The UK is set to miss its targets on cutting greenhouse gases, Tony Blair is expected to admit on Wednesday.
Friends of the Earth says ministers will reveal they are falling short when they unveil public consultation on the five-year climate change programme.
The UK has pledged to cut carbon dioxide emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2010 but FoE says they are currently down just 7.5%.
That is the same as in 1997 when Labour came to power, says the group.
'Embarrassment'
The 20% target is a self-imposed goal for the government.
Ministers say the UK will hit the milder limit set in the Kyoto Protocol - the international agreement to cut greenhouse gases - which for the UK is 12.5% below the 1990 emissions levels.
The prime minister has said he wanted climate change to be a key priority during the UK's presidencies of the G8 and EU in 2005.
BBC environment correspondent Richard Black said the admission the 20% target would be missed was a "very great embarrassment" for the government ahead of its G8 presidency.
It would be difficult to ask developing nations to take action if too little was being done at home, he said.
News of the British government's failure to meet its targets comes just a day after the US - the world's biggest polluter - again defended its decision not to take part in the Kyoto Protocol.
'Time running out'
With just two months before the international agreement to cut greenhouse gases comes into force, senior US negotiator Harlan Watson attacked the treaty as being politically-motivated rather than based on science.
FoE director Tony Juniper has urged Mr Blair to keep to his pledge.
"The UK climate change programme is the last chance for the government to demonstrate it is serious about taking a lead on tackling climate change," he said.
"But time is running out. If the climate change programme fails to make significant cuts in UK greenhouse gas emissions, the prime minister's ability to persuade other countries to take the issue seriously will be totally undermined."
'Tough targets'
Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We are today publishing the review exactly because we recognise we are not doing as well as we had hoped and we want to do more.
"We have set ourselves pretty high targets. Actually we are well ahead of our main legal commitment, but we set ourselves more ambitious targets and we have to do more to try to reach them."
Mrs Beckett said she was happy for people to keep pressing the government over the issue because "we do all of us have to do more".
Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Norman Baker said: "Mr Blair's record on climate change shows that he will always take the side of the polluter over the environment.
"He has consistently pulled the green carpet from under Margaret Beckett's feet to appease the smoke-stack DTI."
'Business has solution'
The Confederation of British Industry insisted that business deserved recognition for making considerable efforts to help tackle environmental problems.
John Cridland, CBI deputy director-general, said too many environmental campaigners want to blame business for problems outside the control of companies.
"The environmental lobby is wrong to try and put business in the dock on the environment," he said.
"British business has done more than anybody else to tackle climate change.
"It is business that is responsible for the innovative policy ideas that have a fighting chance of helping solve the problem."
The UK is set to miss its targets on cutting greenhouse gases, Tony Blair is expected to admit on Wednesday.
Friends of the Earth says ministers will reveal they are falling short when they unveil public consultation on the five-year climate change programme.
The UK has pledged to cut carbon dioxide emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2010 but FoE says they are currently down just 7.5%.
That is the same as in 1997 when Labour came to power, says the group.
'Embarrassment'
The 20% target is a self-imposed goal for the government.
Ministers say the UK will hit the milder limit set in the Kyoto Protocol - the international agreement to cut greenhouse gases - which for the UK is 12.5% below the 1990 emissions levels.
The prime minister has said he wanted climate change to be a key priority during the UK's presidencies of the G8 and EU in 2005.
BBC environment correspondent Richard Black said the admission the 20% target would be missed was a "very great embarrassment" for the government ahead of its G8 presidency.
It would be difficult to ask developing nations to take action if too little was being done at home, he said.
News of the British government's failure to meet its targets comes just a day after the US - the world's biggest polluter - again defended its decision not to take part in the Kyoto Protocol.
'Time running out'
With just two months before the international agreement to cut greenhouse gases comes into force, senior US negotiator Harlan Watson attacked the treaty as being politically-motivated rather than based on science.
FoE director Tony Juniper has urged Mr Blair to keep to his pledge.
"The UK climate change programme is the last chance for the government to demonstrate it is serious about taking a lead on tackling climate change," he said.
"But time is running out. If the climate change programme fails to make significant cuts in UK greenhouse gas emissions, the prime minister's ability to persuade other countries to take the issue seriously will be totally undermined."
'Tough targets'
Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We are today publishing the review exactly because we recognise we are not doing as well as we had hoped and we want to do more.
"We have set ourselves pretty high targets. Actually we are well ahead of our main legal commitment, but we set ourselves more ambitious targets and we have to do more to try to reach them."
Mrs Beckett said she was happy for people to keep pressing the government over the issue because "we do all of us have to do more".
Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Norman Baker said: "Mr Blair's record on climate change shows that he will always take the side of the polluter over the environment.
"He has consistently pulled the green carpet from under Margaret Beckett's feet to appease the smoke-stack DTI."
'Business has solution'
The Confederation of British Industry insisted that business deserved recognition for making considerable efforts to help tackle environmental problems.
John Cridland, CBI deputy director-general, said too many environmental campaigners want to blame business for problems outside the control of companies.
"The environmental lobby is wrong to try and put business in the dock on the environment," he said.
"British business has done more than anybody else to tackle climate change.
"It is business that is responsible for the innovative policy ideas that have a fighting chance of helping solve the problem."