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“green alliance... issue spring 05 10 “Do the parties have “We will set a long- “If well managed by five million green term goal of zero politicians and voters to woo?” municipal waste.” business, climate protection makes economic sense.” TRACK 6 INSIDE 9 14 LEADING FROM THE FRONT Reconciling the UK’s aspirations for international leadership with delivery at home S316 29/3/05 1:59 pm Page 2
TRACK INSIDE comment The quarterly magazine of Green Alliance Edited by Karen Crane Designed by Carruthers and Hobbs Ltd Printed by Seacourt Press Ltd © April 2005 Green Alliance All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Green Russell Marsh Alliance. Within the UK, exceptions are allowed head of policy in respect of any fair dealing for the purposes of private research or study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Design and Patent Act, 1988, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of the We are fast approaching the next general election. In fact with the stream licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. of announcements emerging from all the political parties it feels as if we are already in election mode even though, at the time of writing, the date has yet to be officially announced. Produced with support from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Defra’s Environmental Action Fund. Green Alliance has been working hard to get the environment into the election debate and in this edition of Inside Track you can read more about our pledge campaign with a coalition of eight other environment groups. We also hear from the environment spokespeople of the three main political parties.
The UK has begun its presidency of the G8 and, in July this year, we will take up the EU presidency. The prime minister is making climate change a major element of the G8 presidency and it will more than likely be a key issue for the EU presidency. Decisions will be needed on the structure of the second phase of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme and on the EU’s approach to negotiations on international climate policy post-Kyoto.
contents Given the UK’s key role in the international arena over the next 12 months we have asked two observers from across the channel to give their views comment 2 on how the UK has performed at a European and International level and the Green Alliance news main challenges as they see it. Anje Köhne from Germanwatch gives her return to sender 3 perspective on the path the UK needs to negotiate through the changing climate policy 4 presidencies to deliver meaningful international action on climate change. designing for water efficiency 5 Tony Long, from WWF in Brussels, looks at European development policy and the opportunity to integrate sustainable principles more deeply into think environment - vote for a the process. better future 6
a top priority The past three months have seen a whirl of activity for Green Alliance. We Elliot Morley 8 launched three new reports, on water, waste and energy policy, all of which at the heart of a vision for Britain are featured in this issue. We had the pleasure of joining with old friends Norman Baker 9 and new to celebrate our first 25 years at the Science Museum in February. The next year promises to be just as full and you can view our finalised a moral duty Tim Yeo 10 work programme for 2005-06 now at www.green-alliance.org.uk all change for european development policy? Tony Long 11 mind the gap Anja Köhne 14
The views of contributors are not necessarily those of Green Alliance. S316 29/3/05 1:59 pm Page 3
return to sender
A new agenda for the UK on integrated product policy
Return to Sender: Producer responsibility and between this and the current situation. If the UK product policy was published in March, the final could bridge the gap, we would become an report of our sustainability through producer international leader in this field. responsibility project. This was supported by the DTI’s Sustainable Technologies Initiative, Biffa, The government needs to develop and build British Retail Consortium, BT plc, Sainsbury’s and consensus on objectives for a ‘closed-loop’ Unilever. It was launched jointly with the economy and build new institutions to help move Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Waste towards these objectives. Group’s complementary report on producer responsibility. Business must adopt responsibility for understanding and addressing the full impacts of Return to Sender explores the role producer its products. To create incentives for business responsibility can play in meeting more there must be the threat of less flexible ambitious waste and resource objectives. legislation if voluntary measures don’t deliver and public procurement must be used to drive the market for better products.
Other measures are also needed, such as virgin materials taxes and minimum recycled content, to provide a market pull and support action for resource efficient products.
We will build on the themes of this work in a new three-year project sponsored by Defra’s Environmental Action Fund, Closing the loop: transforming UK resource use and delivering a sustainable resource economy, starting in April. Measures, like the EU packaging directive, are reasonably successful in driving higher recycling, For more details of this work please contact but, overall, the problems of packaging and Ben Shaw [email protected] waste continue to grow. The hope was that producer responsibility would lead to the Return to Sender: Producer responsibility and extensive re-design of products to make them product policy is available to download as a less wasteful, both in their manufacture and in summary and full report from Green Alliance’s their use. But there is little sign that existing website. The summary report is also available as measures, or forthcoming ones on electronic a hard copy from Green Alliance, price £5. equipment and cars, will have that effect.
We urgently need a broader interpretation of ‘producer responsibility’ where companies strive to understand the impacts of their products from cradle to grave, and even consider whether some products are just too environmentally damaging to put on the market. This is the new agenda of ‘integrated product policy’, but there is a big gap
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changing climate policy
Green Alliance is working to unlock the political barriers to tackling climate change
Climate change has been high on the We continue to add our voice to the energy efficiency. We continue to push political agenda during the first few debate about the future direction of UK the recommendations of our report months of this year. The government climate policy with the publication of A Micro-generation Manifesto, using made yet another announcement our report Business Action on Climate our energy entrepreneurs network to about the structure of the UK’s Change: Where next after emissions feed into the development of DTI’s National Action Plan as part of the EU trading?. micro-generation strategy. Emissions Trading Scheme; a major climate science conference was held in Produced in partnership with the Our energy efficiency project is in its Exeter; and the Kyoto Protocol finally Institute for European Environmental final stages and is developing came into force after several years of Policy, the report reviews the various proposals around a suite of policy ongoing uncertainty about its future. incentives that have been put in place measures that we believe will unlock to encourage business and industry to current barriers to greater energy reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. efficiency.
We reveal a very confusing picture. For more information contact Russell Some measures, like the Renewables Marsh, [email protected] Obligation, seem to be working well, yet others, like the Climate Change Business Action on Climate Change: Levy, are just not strong enough to Where next after emissions trading? have much effect on business is available from Green Alliance, decisions. price £20.
We conclude that the EU emissions trading scheme, the centrepiece of the government’s climate policy, will not be strong enough to persuade business to reduce their carbon emissions, meaning that additional measures are needed to really drive action in this area.
This forms part of our input to the government’s Climate Change Programme Review, alongside our other work on micro-generation and
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In the face of massive new There are plenty of new technologies around, but builders have been development in the south reticent to take them on board. Despite east, joined-up action is the fact that research shows that installing water efficient technologies needed now to save water in buildings achieves as much as a 20 per cent reduction in water consumption.
Our report makes the following recommendations:
• revise building regulations to include water efficiency standards; • clear policy through the planning system to enforce greater water efficiency on developers, planners and local authorities; • mandatory labelling of water fixtures and fittings, similar to the energy label, and regulatory underpinning for the Sustainable Code for Buildings; • better enforcement of building regulations and empowerment for local authorities to demand water efficiency; • fiscal incentives such as VAT and stamp duty reductions, along with inclusion of water efficiency in the Green Landlords Scheme; • universal water metering to provide customers with the opportunity to manage their own water use and save money on bills
Although the government has a number of policies covering water Without government action and greater efficiency, joined up action is needed if incentives for consumers, the south the planned development in the south east is likely to suffer extreme water east is to be sustainable. Architects, shortages as the government’s planners, the construction industry designing for water efficiency planned building programme begins and the water industry must work and climate change takes hold. This is together to curb the unnecessary the message from our report Better waste of this precious resource. buildings: Designing for water efficiency, launched by housing Better Buildings: Designing for water minister Keith Hill in March. efficiency is available from Green Alliance, price £20 Government plans for 200,000 new homes in the south east in addition to For more information contact Caroline the 900,000 already agreed, will mean Read, [email protected] massive stresses on water supply and treatment systems in the driest part of the country.
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think environment –
All the parties proclaim The existence of a green vote itself has Re-commit to the target of long been the subject of debate. Do reducing carbon dioxide emissions the environment to be an the parties have, as some declare, to 20 per cent below 1990 levels important issue and that five million green voters to woo or is by 2010 in order to tackle climate there, as others have contested, no change effectively green issues are green vote in national elections? Or, is increasingly important to the green vote out there but unheard Deliver immediate and sustained voters, yet they continue in the absence of any credible cuts in carbon dioxide emissions to champion for the environment? A meet the UK’s national target of to play a minor role in recent MORI poll asked which was the reducing emissions to 20 per cent election campaigns. best party on the environment: below 1990 levels by 2010, as 47 per cent of voters said ‘none/don’t promised in the Energy White know’ and only a few percentage Paper. points divided the three main parties with the Liberal Democrats first with a 1 Introduce tough targets for mere 16 per cent. industrial emissions of carbon dioxide through the EU Emissions To help the environment get a look in Trading Scheme. as the parties jostle for votes, Green 2 Provide increased support for Alliance, together with seven other the full range of renewable sources environment organisations, has of energy. launched the following set of election pledges around four priority issues, 3 Ensure businesses and homes which we are calling the parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions adopt in their manifestos: by introducing world-class building standards. 4 Take action to cut greenhouse gases released by road transport and aviation.
These pledges have been agreed by a coalition of the following NGOs:
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vote for a better future
New law to protect our sea life A high quality natural environment Every child to be entitled to out of for all classroom learning Introduce comprehensive legislation by 2006 to achieve Improve the quality of our lives by Make out of classroom education a better protection for marine creating a resilient countryside, key part of new strategies for wildlife and effective management protecting landscapes of high environmental citizenship in the of our seas. aesthetic and biodiversity value, UK. and meeting the UK’s target of 1 Introduce a coherent planning halting biodiversity loss by 2010. 1 Introduce monitoring of out of system for the sea to allow classroom experiences as part of different activities to develop 1 Increase the resources allocated formal school inspections by 2006. harmoniously and sustainably. to the protection and restoration of 2 Spend an extra £4 million to landscapes and natural habitats, 2 Put in place new measures to train 20,000 teachers a year in the including increased contributions conserve wildlife sites and skills needed to deliver out of from developers. species. classroom learning. 2 Ensure a powerful, independent, 3 Place protection of the 3 Invest £3 million annually to well-resourced statutory agency to environment at the heart of support and encourage quality out champion the natural environment. decision-making on fisheries, oil of classroom educational and gas exploration, 3 Reduce land take and habitat experiences for 500,000 children a transportation and all new damage by making best use of year. developments at sea, including existing buildings and developed offshore renewable energy land, raising the minimum density projects. target for new housing and protecting locally important 4 Institute an enforcement landscapes and sites. strategy to make sure new laws are effective. 4 Adhere to environmental capacity limits in meeting genuine For more information contact Tracy development needs. Carty, [email protected]
“green alliance...
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increased the percentage of household waste recycled from 7.5 per cent in 1997 to approximately 17 per cent in 2004 and increasing. A doorstep recycling service now serves two-thirds of households.
But people will want to know at the next election about our plans for the future, not simply about our achievements. Defra’s five year plan set out our plans and commitments, a top priority with the strong support of the prime minister. It set out how we will make it easier for business, the public, farmers and others to change their behaviour Labour’s manifesto in 1997 promised Britain’s current leadership on climate in ways that improve the environment. that Labour would be the ‘greenest change is respected across the world. government ever’. We have been. We Our decision to make it a top priority We pledged to make improved access did set some tough targets. I know that for our presidency of the G8 group of to coastal areas a priority for our it is expected that we should meet our the world’s richest countries in 2005, future environmental work. We commitment to reduce CO2 emissions and of our EU presidency later in the committed to introducing a Marine Bill by 20 per cent by 2010. Rightly so, it is year has given climate change the to improve protection and a top priority for us. prominence it deserves in international management of the marine diplomacy. It also provides a terrific environment, allowing different uses of We launched the climate change opportunity to do even more at home. the seas - including biodiversity review to identify what we need to do Labour will take that opportunity. A protection, fisheries and offshore wind to meet our CO2 target. But we are third term would be the greenest - to develop harmoniously and proud of what we have achieved Labour government ever. sustainably. already. Greenhouse gas emissions have fallen six per cent since 1997. We have achieved a huge amount since Other departments made commitments Renewable energy is rising and we 1997, with the constant chivvying of in their plans. The ODPM plan set out have committed £500 million to a the environmental movement to keep our commitment to raise range of technologies like wave us on our toes: the first new national environmental standards for new and energy. Provisional figures for 2003 park for over 40 years in the New existing housing, with a particular indicate that we have already Forest; the Countryside and Rights of focus on housing in the Sustainable exceeded our commitment under Kyoto Way Act providing access to about one Communities Plan growth areas with to reduce emissions by 12.5 per cent million hectares of additional land; reduced water, energy use and green by 2010, five years ahead of schedule. 19,000 hectares added to the green spaces. That record is the envy of many belt, roughly equivalent to the size of countries. Liverpool; and radical reform of the Under this government, the prime Common Agricultural Policy which minister has given real international eluded all previous governments. It leadership on climate and opens the way to a new future for environmental issues. farming; more profitable, better connected to the market and with higher standards of environmental protection and animal welfare. All Labour achievements. A third term Labour government would be the Our environmentally friendly budgets have put in place financial reforms to greenest yet, says Elliot help improve the environment. Since Morley MP, minister for 1997, there have been significant environment and reductions in air and water pollution. Our beaches and rivers are cleaner agri-environment. than ever. Our policies have also “8 S316 29/3/05 2:00 pm Page 9
at the heart of a motorcycles, abolishing it altogether for the greenest vehicles. We would fund this by increasing the amount of vision for Britain VED charged on the most polluting gas guzzlers. This can only be short-term answer however. We believe that the technology will soon be available which will allow us to scrap current petrol duties and VED altogether and replacing the revenue with a charge Norman Baker MP, Liberal before the deadline. We believe that based upon location, congestion and negotiations for the next stage of pollution created by the vehicle. Democrat spokesman on the international agreements on climate environment, explains how change should bring in the developing We will not proceed with major new countries on the basis of a long term road build schemes unless there are environment is central to the goal of ‘contraction and convergence’ clear environmental benefits overall, party’s vision of a vibrant, of CO2 emissions. In addition, we and will use the money instead for thriving Britain. advocate reviews of the World Bank, public transport schemes. World Trade Organisation and the International Monetary Fund to ensure Aviation is the fastest growing sector that they are sensitive to the needs of of greenhouse gas emissions. As an the poorest, and promote sustainable immediate step we would implement and effective development outcomes. per aircraft rather than per passenger We believe that charges, to discourage half empty environmentally Our energy policy is based on two flights and to encourage more fuel- responsible approaches. First, we will introduce efficient aircraft, whilst pressing for action is measures to reduce energy use overall, multinational agreement on aviation ultimately since half the energy currently used in fuel duty. economically the UK is wasted, for example, through sensible. When better home insulation, which will also We will set a long-term goal of zero the cost of tackle ‘fuel poverty’ faced by municipal waste. As a first step, we will environmental pensioners. ensure that we move towards kerbside damage and recycling for all. Producers should also inaction to the We will make building regulations be held responsible for disposing of economy in 2004 was a massive £67 tougher, by requiring all new housing their products and materials that are billion - over £1,000 for every man, to meet improved energy and water difficult to reuse or recycle. In addition, woman and child, we cannot be under efficiency standards through we will not allow new incinerators for any illusion as to the scale of the environmentally friendly building municipal waste. We must also challenge we are facing. materials and techniques. We would improve enforcement of pollution also set a target for 30 per cent of controls through an expanded Environmental taxes and traded electricity used in the public sector to inspectorate for the Environment permits can be used to encourage be generated from Combined Heat and Agency, and a new specialist people to act in an environmentally Power by 2015. Environmental Court to deal with sustainable way. We will create an enforcing environmental rules. We will Environmental Incentive Programme Second, we will ensure that 20 per also ensure the level of penalties within the Treasury to advise cent of the UK’s electricity comes from which polluters have to pay are government and parliament on ways to renewable sources by the year 2020, appropriate to the offence. reform taxes and incentives to and phase out existing nuclear power encourage sustainable development, stations as they come to the end of Liberal Democrats believe that by and would start by changing the their safe operating lives. helping the environment, we can help Climate Change Levy into a Carbon Tax. our own pockets, our families, our This would however be about taxing Pollution and congestion have a major communities and our world. Our differently, not taxing more. impact on people’s quality of life. We manifesto for the forthcoming general would reward motorists who drive election will set out how we plan to Liberal Democrats would ensure that less-polluting vehicles by reducing car achieve this, and why we put the Britain leads by example by achieving tax (Vehicle Excise Duty) on more environment at the heart of our vision its targets from the Kyoto Protocol well environmentally friendly cars and for Britain. “9 S316 29/3/05 2:00 pm Page 10
Tim Yeo MP, shadow However, urgent policy changes are now needed to get Britain back on secretary of state for the course both to meet Labour’s targets environment, sets out the for CO2 emission cuts and to honour Britain’s Kyoto Treaty commitments, Conservative’s future focusing on transport, home energy intentions for efficiency and renewable energy: environmental policy We would ensure much faster introduction of greener less polluting vehicles by market instruments such Conservative as wider differentials on Vehicle Excise governments have Duty so that emissions from cars are always had a long cut. We would also introduce colour history of strong coded licence disks so that the duty environmental consumer is much more aware of the protection and of environmental impact of a vehicle. giving the environment Aviation must be tackled. Agreement priority in on some form of tax on aviation can Whitehall only be achieved at international level, departments. but we could make a start, firstly, by In fact we created including aviation emissions from EU the original Department of the flights in the EU Emissions Trading Environment and the Environment Scheme, and, secondly, by stating Agency. flight emissions on passenger documentation. Consumer Conservatives believe that we have a engagement is the key to behavioural moral duty to protect the inheritance of change. the next generation, conserving all that is best without inhibiting the growth of In addition, we would put energy prosperity. Our key priority would be efficiency at the heart of Britain’s resource efficiency, which should energy policy. We want to see a much translate into sustainable more dynamic market offering financial consumption. That means greater incentives to encourage home owners; energy efficiency in homes and tenants and businesses to invest in
moral businesses, more renewable energy energy efficiency improvements . We development and greener vehicles. also believe that there is considerable scope to tighten enforcement of We believe that market-based existing building regulation and work incentives, emissions trading and towards the long term goal of zero consumer awareness are more likely to emissions on new British homes.
a deliver environmental benefits and technological innovation than Finally, we need a more broadly based government-imposed systems. Local renewable energy policy harnessing decision-making on key environmental Britain’s natural advantages to support issues – such as planning, and the the development of marine energy improvement of local environmental technologies and to promote biofuels, services – can also contribute combined heat and power and powerfully to the creation of stronger microgeneration. Transforming the more sustainable local communities. network to facilitate more microgeneration would engage more Between 1990 and 1997, Conservative individuals and communities more policies achieved a 7.3 per cent directly in climate change mitigation. reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, partly owing to the dash for gas.
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all change for european development policy?
Now is the time for the UK to take the lead on the European and world stage in setting a progressive, multilateral environment and development agenda, says Tony Long.
The opening months of 2005 would be Others are the ‘softer’ policy directions world stage in setting a progressive, hard to beat for sheer quantity and to be undertaken in the name of multilateral environment and breadth of EU policy initiatives sustainable development, including development agenda for Europe’s underway on overseas development. the sustainable development strategy external relations? Some of these initiatives, like the review previewed in a Commission seven-year review of the EU’s financial communication published in February The European Union aid budget taken perspectives, or the forthcoming 2005. Still others will set the direction together with the member states assessment of the EU’s 2002 Financing of EU development policy, for instance accounts for more than half of all OECD for Development (Monterrey) the EU position for the Millennium aid. But this aid effort continues to be commitments, go to the heart of the Development Goals review in a messy sum of parts rather than a EU budget. They will determine the September, or the review of the EU’s coherent whole. One of the most amounts of money that will be 2001 development policy, for which a pressing deficiencies is the failure of available for development in the consultation is currently underway. many, although not all, of these 2007-13 period. European aid agencies to understand Many of these initiatives will require and to act upon poverty and decisions - or at least deft political environment linkages. leadership - during the UK government’s presidency of the Bilateral as well as multilateral European Council in the second part of programme lending and general 2005. And with Africa as one of the budgetary support over the past two chosen themes of the government’s decades have failed in large measure priorities, the timing could not be more to increase the competitiveness of the propitious. In one way or another, all small to medium-size rural producers the above will have a real significance who account for the 70 per cent of the for the country and regional strategy world’s poor. These groups have found papers that deliver the EU’s little option but to increase pressure development assistance. In fact, with on natural resources assets to try to climate change being the other priority, maintain living standards. what better time for the UK to take a leading role on the European and continued overleaf
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Continued from previous page “The EU is ideally placed to common policies – agriculture, trade and fisheries to name but three – still In the meantime, their access to these understand and act upon lack a coherence with the objectives of resources is increasingly jeopardised this cycle of environmental development policy, which no amount by large, intensive natural resource of Council declarations of good intent extraction activities – for instance, and social neglect.” has so far been able to overcome. agriculture, fisheries, timber, and water extraction – undertaken at a So what more precisely will we be frenetic pace, and often illegally, to looking for the UK presidency to meet an insatiable global demand. achieve in its brief tenure? Bearing in mind the report of the UN Millenium The EU has multiple layers of Project under Professor Jeffrey Sachs commitment to sustainable accompanied by a strategic environ- in January 2005, this is the year in development. They start with the mental assessment. which political will and political action Treaty of Nice but also include the must be shown at the highest level to development policy statement adopted But country and regional programming have any chance of meeting the in 2001 and the Cotonou Agreement is only part of the story. One of the Millenium Development Goals. What with the 77 African, Caribbean and more intractable problems shared not can the UK do to face the EU in the Pacific (ACP) countries signed in June only by the EU but also all member right direction to achieve 2015 targets? 2000. Many of these countries are the states is the failure to understand and poorest in the world measured by per tackle the ‘spill-over’ effects of national First, given the depressing lack of capita income. The EU is ideally placed and regional policies on prospects for integration of the environment in to understand and act upon this cycle international development. Despite the country and regional strategy papers of environmental and social neglect. bold attempt of the last UK presidency noted earlier, the UK must use the But a survey commissioned by the to give meaning to the Treaty Millenium Development Goals +5 European Commission in 2002 shows requirement for environmental review taking place in September to an opposite story. Of the 60 EU country protection to be integrated into all EU shake up the programming process. strategy papers reviewed, only six policies, the so-called ‘Cardiff process’, Specifically, the Council should set the included a country environmental the fact is that it has not happened. directions in EU programming to show profile and just three were The EU’s most entrenched and powerful how target 9 of MDG 7: to integrate the
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all change for european development policy?
“...new life has to be review should in turn lead to the and safeguard a thematic line for promotion of sustainable natural environmental co-operation in the breathed into the EU’s resource use as a focus of aid for external dimension of the EU’s sustainable development countries whose economies and rural financial perspectives. As currently livelihoods are heavily dependent on conceived, budget lines for strategy...” resource extraction. development will be mainly geographically driven. But Europe and Third, new life has to be breathed into developing countries will need the EU’s sustainable development resources to address global strategy, first adopted in Gothenburg in environmental governance issues that June 2001. Unlike that first attempt, the cannot - or simply will not - be strategy now clearly has an external expressed through country and principles of sustainable development relations dimension. First discussions regional strategies. These would into country policies and programmes of objectives, targets, milestones and include compliance with, and and reverse the loss of environmental monitoring arrangements are foreseen monitoring of, multilateral resources, will be implemented in EU under the UK’s term as Council environmental agreements, capacity external policies and financial president. Turning the whole strategy building for developing countries to instruments. in the direction of achieving the MDGs, prepare for, and participate in, including getting greater coherence of international fora, and support for Second, the review of the EU EU internal policies for their external governmental and non-governmental development policy due to be unveiled impacts - and perhaps also involving organisations actively promoting after the summer is an opportunity for ‘quick wins’ as proposed by the UN sustainable development. the fragmented European aid effort to Millenium Project - would be a major begin to be concentrated into a more achievement for the UK. Tony Long is director of the WWF effective whole. This would entail European Policy Office in Brussels forging a common ground between the Last, but not least, money for EU and European bilateral agencies on development. The UK government their understanding of poverty and would strike an enormously important environment linkages. The shared deal for international environmental analysis in the Development Policy diplomacy if it were able to propose
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mind the gap
The UK must show true leadership on future climate policy with its G8 and EU presidencies, says Anja Köhne
multilateral climate policies will not ‘only’ be avoiding the abyss. There is also the promise of positive innovation and globalisation processes which might lead to better understanding and improved integration across the planet.
among the climate-leader countries, Here are some concrete suggestions in such as Germany and the UK; the this context: hesitation of EU leaders to take on further concrete commitments and put International leadership requires in place urgently required policies and credible action at home measures; international negotiations This is true for the UK as well as for brought to a standstill between the the EU as a whole. While national and egotism of the US and Saudi Arabia on international action by the UK and the There is one trend: the ever more the one hand and the partial mistrust EU has gained some credibility in certain scientific evidence about ever of important developing countries such recent years particularly when more alarming climate change as India and China on the other. compared to other countries, current scenarios, demonstrated at the discussions and foreseeable trends are scientific workshops of the The gap between what is needed and not so promising. The EU-15, which international climate negotiations in what is done on climate change is have so far achieved emission Buenos Aires in December 2004, and becoming an abyss, threatening to reductions of 2.9 per cent, require by increasingly worried scientists devour human lives, security and further action to get on track towards during the UK-hosted scientific stability, and economic welfare conference in early February. A view (particularly of the poor). The shared clearly by the US scientific challenge for Tony Blair, and the UK’s community in recent statements. G8 and EU presidencies, is to show “The gap between what true leadership, to achieve strong, real is needed and what is Then there is another trend: the loss of and sustained steps towards closing done on climate change momentum of absolute and specific this gap. The reward for intelligent, reductions of greenhouse gases brave and inspired national and is becoming an abyss”
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major global players such as India and China, it is also important not to overlook other countries and regions which are perhaps as important in the climate context. It seems logical to include those countries most vulnerable to climate change (e.g. small islands, Bangladesh, sub- particularly the climate dialogue with Saharan Africa). Particularly, there major developing countries, require should be a better integration of the credibility concerning the future G8-Africa agenda and the G8-climate willingness of the EU to shoulder its agenda. share of ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’. The UK’s EU Don’t stop where the US stops presidency should aim for a setting of The UK’s attempts to convince the US, concrete targets, such as a 30 per cent particularly its current administration, their Kyoto commitment (eight per reduction by 2020 and 60-80 per cent of the reality of climate change are cent). In the UK as well as in Germany, in 2050. This would be in line with the laudable. As is talking to the US about emission levels have stagnated since emerging EU position that global the climate mitigation policies they are the late 1990s. Both countries have warming should be kept ‘below 2°C’. willing to talk about. However, the UK backed down against pressure from presidency will be challenged by the their industries on their National The EU presidency is at least as following: 1) not to confine its G8 Allocation Plans (NAPs) within the EU important as the G8 climate activities to what might be emission trading system. Emissions in While the G8 is an intergovernmental acceptable to the US and 2) to major sectors – notably transport and process not involving a continuous underline clearly that multilateral households – are off-track; emissions dialogue with developing countries, climate negotiations in the UN- from aviation are not reined in yet. the EU provides more reliability and framework continue to be the chosen clout both regarding implementation and most appropriate forum for all The EU budget does not adequately and diplomatic outreach. Therefore, countries, apart from the US and reflect climate policy goals, in its the climate policy preparation of the Australia. overall structure, nor in sufficient UK’s EU presidency requires at least as mainstreaming. Not least, the current much attention as the G8. It should Tony Blair has claimed that the prices political discussion is often focused on further the introduction of policies, and loyalties paid to the US a very narrow and old-fashioned measures and targets at home, and government will bear fruit when tested. understanding of competitiveness, in continue international dialogue on The G8 presidency will prove if he is which climate policies and measures energy and climate, for example in the right, and whether he will have the are portrayed as a ‘threat to business’ framework of the forthcoming EU-India personal integrity to claim what is as well as ‘exaggerated’ or ‘too costly’ and EU-China summits. needed from his partner. by some actors. The contrary is true: if well managed by politicians and Dialogue with developing countries is The importance of the UK presidency business, climate protection makes important for climate protection cannot be economic sense and provides business International climate negotiations have overestimated. The UK is renowned for opportunities and a competitive edge. suffered from a lack of common its skill at managing political language and understanding between processes and communicating them. The success of Tony Blair as a climate the EU and developing countries. Any Let’s hope that the political substance policy leader will depend on two tasks: attempts to improve this situation at the outcome of 2005 proves that UK 1) changing the political climate in the would be helpful, as long as dialogue leadership is to the benefit of us all. EU towards a greater sense of urgency; on climate change is based on a 2) setting in motion more ambitious sensitivity for the other countries’ Anja Köhne is a board member of policies and measures. perspective, and takes into account the Germanwatch, an NGO working needs and interests of these countries, towards the implementation of the Set targets for 2020 and 2050 notably access to energy for the poor, Rio/UNCED-goals at national, Political decision-making, business energy supply security, economic European and international level. planning and societal debates need a growth, technology transfer and Further information: sense of direction and planning support for adaptation to climate www.germanwatch.org security. International negotiations, change. While it is important to talk to [email protected]
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Green Alliance is an independent charity. Our mission is to promote how old?! sustainable development Like all youngsters Green Alliance grew up before we knew it. We celebrated by ensuring that the our 25th birthday in style at the Science Museum in February. Thanks to environment is at the heart support from Severn Trent and the Defra Environmental Action Fund, we were able to throw a party in the museum’s impressive Welcome Wing, and we of decision-making. We work filled the IMAX cinema with over 300 members and friends for the debate. with senior people in government, business and the environmental We didn’t just use the evening to pat ourselves on the back, but took the opportunity to look forward to where we should go next. Tom Burke provided movement to encourage new ideas, plenty of food for thought, with a sweeping review of Green Alliance’s past dialogue and constructive solutions. record and the progress of the wider environment movement; he also presented some stark challenges for the future.
Our ‘question time’ panel: Tim Smit, Bill Dunster, Stephen Tindale, Ed Mayo staff and Michelle Harrison, gave their responses in a wide ranging debate which director Guy Thompson reflected the current tension between those who see the future of head of policy Russell Marsh environment campaigning as more creative engagement with popular opinion and those who see securing stronger political leadership as the top priority. principal policy adviser Ben Shaw The event left us feeling reinvigorated for our next phase. policy officers Caroline Read Tracy Carty development co-ordinator Karen Crane “Green Alliance’s is a story whose end is yet to be fundraising and written. But, it began, as good stories always do, with communications manager Rachel Butterworth membership officer Catherine Pamplin a very simple idea. The environment needs to be at the office manager/ heart of politics.” Tom Burke CBE, at Green Alliance’s 25th celebration PA to the director Paula Hollings Read Tom Burke’s full speech at www.green-alliance.org.uk Green Globe Network convenor Kate Hampton assistant convenor Nasser Yassin
contact each staff member at: a new head best way to pay [email protected] We were pleased to welcome We are now able to offer our Russell Marsh to Green Alliance’s members the opportunity to pay their associates Julie Hill team in January as our new head of subscriptions by Direct Debit. Rebecca Willis policy. He is overseeing the This allows flexible payment by Derek Smith development and delivery of Green instalments and really eases our Alliance’s policy programme, as part administration costs. Membership of the senior management team, officer, Catherine Pamplin, will be office and leads on our climate and energy writing to members soon with the Green Alliance, 40 Buckingham Palace Road, work. Prior to joining Green Alliance, new forms. London SW1W 0RE Russell was head of policy at the t: 020 7233 7433 UK Business Council for Sustainable If you haven’t already, please also f: 020 7233 9033 Energy and Climate Change Policy take this opportunity to sign up for e: [email protected] Officer at WWF-UK. Gift Aid. The extra we can claim from w: www.green-alliance.org.uk the Inland Revenue for gift aided subscriptions and donations means Green Alliance is a registered charity number 1045395, company limited by guarantee, registered number 3037633. new members a £40 standard subscription becomes £51.28 and a £100 donor Welcome to: Ben and Catherine Bell, subscription becomes £128.21 – at
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