Climate Change Bill Must Work NOW
9th June 2008
Dr Alan Whitehead, Labour MP for Southampton Test, yesterday spoke in the Second Reading debate of the Climate Change Bill. Dr Whitehead, who has been a respected climate change campaigner for over 20 years, was appointed in 2007 to the committee which drafted the Bill and so has been an important voice throughout the Bill’s creation.
Amongst the Bill’s key provisions are a 60% reduction in UK carbon emissions by 2050, an emissions trading scheme that will save at least 4 million tonnes of CO2 a year by 2020, a new system of Carbon Budgets and trials of rewards for cutting back on waste and increasing recycling, combined with charges for those who do not do their fair share to recycle more and cut down on landfill waste.
The Bill was voted to receive a Second Reading and pass into committee stage (where amendments may be tabled) by an overwhelming majority. If the Climate Change Bill is made law at its Third Reading, the UK will be the first government in the world to legislate to reduce carbon emissions.
In his House of Commons speech Dr Whitehead said:
“The international significance of what we do [I hope] will prove successful in developing international agreements on climate change as a serious and clear statement of this country’s intent to play its full part in ensuring that climate change is combated both in this country and internationally.”
The MP for Southampton Test also spoke on how the provisions in the Bill will help to combat rising fuel prices and give the UK increased energy security:
“Getting the targets right will inevitably mean enormous changes to how energy is deployed, and to the use of renewables instead of the conventional fossil fuel that we have relied on for so many years. Of course, renewables are one of the greatest forms of insurance against rising fuel prices, because they allow us to secure energy that is based on a free source not subject to the price rises that occur as a result of the increasing scarcity of the fossil fuel supplied to developed economies.”
To finish Dr Whitehead argued that the Climate Change Bill offered an optimistic view of the future, but only if all parties, the Government and the public were willing to commit to its provisions:
“That future need not be frightening, but it will be very different, and it will require all parties, whatever party is in government, to maintain the commitments in the Bill. In a sense, the Bill is very different from virtually any other Bill that I have been concerned with in my time in the House, as we cannot take it to pieces at a future date if the fancy takes us. It involves the House making a commitment now if we are to ensure that the Bill stays on the statute book until a guaranteed low-carbon economy has been achieved.”
“In agreeing to the Bill’s Second Reading today, we are declaring that we will not resile from its provisions. It is not a Bill that can be lost in limbo or watered down at a future date. It has to work, and it has to work now.”
Speaking from Westminster after the debate Dr Whitehead said:
“Having been involved with the Climate Change Bill from its inception, I am delighted at the tremendous support which it has received from all sides of the House today. The UK has a real opportunity in the form of this Bill to lead the world in combating the effects of Global Warming. I look forward to the Committee Stage and Third Reading of the Bill, where I hope MPs will have the opportunity to further strengthen and improve this very necessary piece of legislation.”
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More information
- Dr Whitehead is Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group, and Chair of All-Party Sustainable Waste Group. Dr Whitehead also took up the 25/5 challenge to cut his carbon emissions by 25% over 5 years, and through installing cavity wall insulation, recycling or reusing, and energy saving light bulbs he reduced his carbon footprint by 8.2% in 2005-6.
- Read the full text of Alan's speech