“The new department, Climate Change and Energy , reflects the fact that energy policy and climate change are directly linked. My job is to make sure our policy on climate change is fair for ordinary families and our policy on energy is sustainable for future generations. We will do all we can to ensure affordable fuel bills for people, put Britain at the forefront of creating green jobs and play our part in ensuring every country meets the climate change challenge. Climate change cannot be tackled by politicians on their own but through politicians and people working together” Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, 3rd October 2008
Overview
Recent findings from leading scientists and politicians have stated that tackling climate change, by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases, is the most critical, long-term problem facing all governments.
Whilst the Stern Review made it clear that both the causes and consequences of climate change are global requiring collective, international, political leadership, concerted group action at the local level is politically necessary to accelerate a change in citizens’ behaviour.
The UK Government is committed to addressing both the causes and consequences of climate change and therefore introduced a Climate Change Bill which became law on 26th November 2008. The Act will create a new approach to managing and responding to climate change in the UK through: setting ambitious targets, taking powers to help achieve them, strengthening the institutional framework, enhancing the UK’s ability to adapt to the impact of climate change and establishing clear and regular accountability to the UK, Parliament and devolved legislatures. It demonstrates the UK’s leadership as progress continues towards establishing a post-Kyoto global emissions agreement.
By 2012, under the terms of the Kyoto Protocol the government is required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the UK by 12.5%; moreover by 2010, the government is committed to reducing carbon dioxide gas emissions by 20% below its 1990 levels. The Nottingham Declaration (2000) on climate change and the Energy Measures report, published by BERR in 2007, demonstrates the instrumental role that local authorities and agencies play in both designing ‘joined-up’ policies and implementing initiatives to tackle climate change.
For an agenda and booking form please visit the following site
http://insidegovernment.co.uk/environment/climate/index.php#agenda