Christian group challenges Energy Bill
28 November 2012
Exactly four years ago, campaigners were thrilled when the
Climate Change Act was made law on Nov 26th 2008.
The UK became the first country to set out legally binding and far
reaching targets to reduce carbon emission by 2050. The Labour
government was proud to show international leadership in tackling
concerns over climate change. Cameron campaigned in 2010 to
continue such leadership, stating that his would be "the greenest
government ever".
Two years is a long time in politics. The current headlines just
announced for the next Energy Bill to be released this week
indicate that it ignores a key provision of the Climate Change Act
- to intentionally reduce emissions by 2020 and beyond. The
coalition government simply says that defining a comprehensive
energy strategy post 2020 will be up to the next government in
2016.
The vision of Operation Noah is for a complete decarbonisation
of the UK economy by 2030 through various measures including
reducing energy demand and substantial investment in clean energy.
To achieve this, we must start now. By 2016 it may well be too
late. Ignoring this issue now goes against both the advice of the
government's own independent advisory body, the Committee on
Climate Change and the International Energy Agency (which says that
emissions need to peak at 2016 to keep below 2 degrees, and be cut
rapidly every year after that).
Operation Noah believes that avoiding our duty to
substantially reduce emissions is immoral. It shirks our
responsibilities both to those suffering as a consequence of
climate change now and to future generations. Around the world
exceptional weather conditions continue to be experienced,
including this week's UK weather and flooding. The World Bank's
report, 'Turn down the heat', published last week, notes that
"present emission trends put the world plausibly on a path toward
4oC warming within the century…. A 4oC world
is likely to be one in which communities, cities and countries
would experience severe disruptions, damage and dislocation, with
many of these risks spread unequally".
Andy Atkins, Executive Director, Friends of the Earth, who
delivered Operation Noah's annual lecture on 21st
November on the theme 'Overcoming fossil fuel addiction - the next
moral revolution?' said that "human suffering now [as a consequence
of climate change] and the certainty that this will increase in the
future makes this a moral issue. We are breaking our contract with
the future if we don't act now".
Operation Noah welcomes the news that the bill will
introduce £7.6bn a year to help fund what the government classes as
low-carbon energy by 2020-21 (which includes renewables, nuclear
and biomass). But the Government's announcement also makes
reference to the imminent publication of the Chancellor's
forthcoming gas generation strategy. Although gas is required
to help the UK make the transition to renewable power, long-term
reliance on gas will cause us to fail to achieve our Climate Change
targets.
In referring to the draft Energy Bill last week Atkins
commented:"The coalition has caved in to Osborne's reckless dash
for gas and banged the final nail in the coffin of Cameron's pledge
to lead the greenest government ever. This decision will help keep
the nation hooked on increasingly expensive gas, drive away green
jobs and investment and jeopardise UK climate goals."
The consequences of this Energy Bill will lock us into an
unsustainable energy scenario based largely on gas. Whilst this
might be good for short-term economics it fails to deliver a secure
energy future for our children. In addition, it commits the UK to
rising carbon emissions that will continue to contribute to rising
global temperatures.
"By failing to act now to curb our carbon emissions," comments
Isabel Carter, Chair of Operation Noah, "we are sacrificing the
future of our children for short-term economic benefits".
As the Bill comes before the House of Commons over the next two
weeks, it will be vital for people to make their views known to
their MPs. The Methodists, Baptist, United Reformed Churches and
Quakers have been working together to challenge the Energy Bill in
its current form. Massive public response helped push through the
Climate Act in 2007. Similar public pressure could ensure this
Energy Bill looks to the future, sets clear decarbonisation targets
and brings massive support for renewable energy, with all the jobs
and economic boost this will bring.
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For action on the energy bill, click
here.
Operation Noah
is an ecumenical Christian charity providing leadership, focus and
inspiration in response to the growing threat of catastrophic
climate change.
The Methodists, Baptist, United Reformed Churches and Quakers
have been working together to challenge the Energy Bill in its
current form. Find out more here.
Operation Noah's Annual Lecture was delivered by Andy Atkins,
Executive Director, Friends of the Earth on 21st
November 2012.
World Bank
report