stephanie
03-14-2007, 03:23 PM
Coming our way soon.......From the global warming scam.....
By Charles Clover and George Jones
Last Updated: 2:20am GMT 14/03/2007
Supermarkets, hotels, councils and universities could be given a "cap" on the amount of carbon dioxide they are allowed to emit within five years under Government plans announced yesterday to set legally binding carbon reduction targets.
Any business or public body wanting to use more power than its allocation would have to buy low-carbon technology or purchase carbon credits on the open market under the powers contained in a draft Climate Change Bill.
The new legislation, binding the UK to an ambitious 60 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2050, was published as ministers stepped up their attack on the Tory leader David Cameron's proposals for a new tax on frequent fliers and higher duties on domestic flights.
advertisement In a television interview last night, Tony Blair said he would not give up his foreign holidays. The Government had to find ways to encourage people to be responsible "without trying to get to the stage where you say to people in Europe that you must never travel or take the aeroplane".
He said politicians had to show that it was possible for an economy to "be green and grow" and for individuals "to enjoy life and be environmentally responsible", otherwise political courage on green issues "becomes somewhat suicidal".
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of California, who was interviewed with the Prime Minister, credited Mr Blair with inspiring him to introduce a law committing California to 80 per cent reductions in CO2 emissions by 2050.
Earlier, Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, said he would be encouraging householders to save energy but would not be "penalising" holidaymakers. "I don't think the Conservative proposals are properly tested or thought out and people will be very angry about that," he said.
The Government's draft Bill is the first of its kind in any country. It would allow the Government to extend carbon trading, which currently only applies to power generators and now airlines, to medium-sized industries and public bodies which are not covered by the EU carbon-trading scheme.(oops, I wonder if they realized they stuck that word in there) In the longer term, the powers could be used to give every person or householder a personal carbon allowance, which would take account of how much energy they used in the home, driving and flying.
Officials say the Government has no plans to introduce such an allowance at present. But David Miliband, the Environment Secretary, is known to be keen on personal carbon trading because he thinks it would help to redistribute money from the rich to the poor. Wealthier individuals would have to buy allowances if they wanted to fly frequently.
The Bill proposes legally binding five-year "carbon budgets" to give businesses time to invest in low-carbon technology.
Environmental groups will be able to take future governments to court if they fail to live up to this Government's promise to cut Britain's carbon emissions under its provisions. Mr Miliband said a government that failed to meet the requirement under the Bill "will be subject to judicial review" in the High Court.
The minister said the Bill would "tie the hands of future governments" by requiring them to cut carbon emissions by at least 26 per cent by 2020 and 60 per cent by 2050.
The Tories and Liberal Democrats welcomed the proposals but said carbon budgets should be set annually.
Peter Ainsworth, the Conservative environment spokesman, said: "There is a danger that the five-year approach will enable responsibility for failure to be shunted on from one government to another."
The Green Party said setting a legal framework for carbon emissions was a "massive opportunity" but the proposed targets were "dangerously unambitious".
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/14/nergy114.xml
By Charles Clover and George Jones
Last Updated: 2:20am GMT 14/03/2007
Supermarkets, hotels, councils and universities could be given a "cap" on the amount of carbon dioxide they are allowed to emit within five years under Government plans announced yesterday to set legally binding carbon reduction targets.
Any business or public body wanting to use more power than its allocation would have to buy low-carbon technology or purchase carbon credits on the open market under the powers contained in a draft Climate Change Bill.
The new legislation, binding the UK to an ambitious 60 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2050, was published as ministers stepped up their attack on the Tory leader David Cameron's proposals for a new tax on frequent fliers and higher duties on domestic flights.
advertisement In a television interview last night, Tony Blair said he would not give up his foreign holidays. The Government had to find ways to encourage people to be responsible "without trying to get to the stage where you say to people in Europe that you must never travel or take the aeroplane".
He said politicians had to show that it was possible for an economy to "be green and grow" and for individuals "to enjoy life and be environmentally responsible", otherwise political courage on green issues "becomes somewhat suicidal".
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of California, who was interviewed with the Prime Minister, credited Mr Blair with inspiring him to introduce a law committing California to 80 per cent reductions in CO2 emissions by 2050.
Earlier, Gordon Brown, the Chancellor, said he would be encouraging householders to save energy but would not be "penalising" holidaymakers. "I don't think the Conservative proposals are properly tested or thought out and people will be very angry about that," he said.
The Government's draft Bill is the first of its kind in any country. It would allow the Government to extend carbon trading, which currently only applies to power generators and now airlines, to medium-sized industries and public bodies which are not covered by the EU carbon-trading scheme.(oops, I wonder if they realized they stuck that word in there) In the longer term, the powers could be used to give every person or householder a personal carbon allowance, which would take account of how much energy they used in the home, driving and flying.
Officials say the Government has no plans to introduce such an allowance at present. But David Miliband, the Environment Secretary, is known to be keen on personal carbon trading because he thinks it would help to redistribute money from the rich to the poor. Wealthier individuals would have to buy allowances if they wanted to fly frequently.
The Bill proposes legally binding five-year "carbon budgets" to give businesses time to invest in low-carbon technology.
Environmental groups will be able to take future governments to court if they fail to live up to this Government's promise to cut Britain's carbon emissions under its provisions. Mr Miliband said a government that failed to meet the requirement under the Bill "will be subject to judicial review" in the High Court.
The minister said the Bill would "tie the hands of future governments" by requiring them to cut carbon emissions by at least 26 per cent by 2020 and 60 per cent by 2050.
The Tories and Liberal Democrats welcomed the proposals but said carbon budgets should be set annually.
Peter Ainsworth, the Conservative environment spokesman, said: "There is a danger that the five-year approach will enable responsibility for failure to be shunted on from one government to another."
The Green Party said setting a legal framework for carbon emissions was a "massive opportunity" but the proposed targets were "dangerously unambitious".
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/14/nergy114.xml