Worst-Kept Secret Finally Out As UK Misses Climate Bus - BBC

[hatrack]

So the worst-kept secret in UK climate circles is finally out in the open; as things stand, the government will not meet its cherished target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 20% from 1990 levels by the year 2010. Its review of climate change policy, which includes a small programme of new measures, makes explicit for the first time what many observers have suspected for years.

"The package of existing and new policy measures in the programme are projected to reduce emissions to 15-18% below 1990 levels," it says. Higher than expected economic growth, together with economic circumstances favouring a switch from gas to coal for generating electricity, are held to blame.

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Far more important in international terms is Mr Blair's continued flirtation with concepts which exclude Kyoto-style targets. On the one hand, Britain remains committed to future agreements which, like Kyoto, will oblige countries to cut their emissions by pre-specified amounts. But on his current visit to Australia Mr Blair has spoken on climate change with his counterpart John Howard, whose government is a leading light in the six-nation Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, which aims to develop and distribute "clean" technologies, reducing carbon emissions with no economic pain. "I think the fact that you've got these initiatives at the moment, all tending in the same direction, is actually a positive sign; it's not a negative one," said Mr Blair in Canberra.

The problem is, these initiatives are not pulling in the same direction. Australian government research released in January shows the Asia-Pacific pact will at best lead to a doubling of global emissions. Continued British support for initiatives which by their own admission will increase emissions are likely to have far more impact internationally, politically and physically than failure on the unilateral 20% target.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4851418.stm