TOUGH CLIMATE BILL NEEDED TO PROTECT FUTURE ACTION - ÖPIK

5.56.18pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 9th Jun 2008

Speaking ahead of the Second Reading of the Climate Change Bill, Montgomeryshire's Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Öpik has warned that the Bill needs to be tough to make sure that future governments can't escape their obligations.

Commenting, Lembit Öpik said:

"The Government need to make sure that this Bill is tough enough to withstand changes in political mood - but also changes of government.

"Labour's record on tackling Climate Change has been poor, and they can't be allowed to make promises today that can be dropped conveniently later on. Equally they have to ensure there is enough in the Bill so that future governments can't weasel out of emissions targets.

"'Vote Blue Go Green' seems like a distant memory as political pressure has forced the Tories to fall silent on measures to fight global warming. The Conservatives need to learn that fighting Climate Change is about taking action, not publicity stunts and vacuous slogans.

"Not including aviation and shipping emissions makes a nonsense of having targets in the Bill, and I hope the Government will relent on this important measure. We also need a target of an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050 on the basis of emerging science.

"Targets are of course a means to an end and not a solution - if targets were enough, we'd be the best governed country in the world. But we do need a tough Bill that doesn't leave any loopholes for future administrations to exploit."

ENDS