UK: First to proposed binding 5-year emissions targets
A BBC 2 Newsnight report tonight on carbon emissions, and the UK Government’s proposal today for legally binding emission caps. The TV programme is available for re-reviewing for another week.
“Britain could become the first country to set legally binding carbon reduction targets under plans unveiled by Environment Secretary David Miliband.
The draft Climate Change Bill calls for an independent panel to set ministers a “carbon budget” every five years, in a bid to cut emissions by 60% by 2050.
If they miss the figure, future governments could be taken to court.
The Tories and Lib Dems welcomed the proposals, but said carbon budgets should be set annually.
Mr Miliband has said annual targets would be too rigid to make allowances for climate variations.
He hailed the draft bill as “the first of its kind in any country”, and said Britain was “leading by example”.
The draft legislation will go to public and parliamentary consultation before becoming law next year, but environmental campaigners want to raise the 2050 target to 80% and set annual 3% cut targets to ensure compliance. “