The WWF UK has applauded the Committee on Climate Change’s recommendations to the government for the first three carbon budgets. These budgets are planned to meet yearly targets for emissions cuts within the UK, starting this year and running until 2022.
The Committee suggests that global emission cuts of 50% by 2050 from current levels are acceptable, though leading scientists warn that global cuts may need to be 80% to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change. The WWF UK believes that it is vital that the UK avoids locking itself into a carbon-intensive future by allowing new unabated coal-fired power stations.
Head of Climate Change at WWF-UK, Dr. Keith Allott, said –
‘Committing to cutting the UK’s emissions by 42 per cent by 2020 would set a world-beating target and inspire hope that we can still head off the worst impacts of climate change. Even better, Lord Turner has confirmed that this is both achievable and affordable. Now the Government must offer an immediate signal that it will accept this target. By doing so, it would inject some much-needed ambition into the climate change negotiations currently taking place at both EU and UN level.’
If everyone used natural resources and generated carbon emissions at the rate we do in the UK we would need three planets to support us. The way we live is leading to environmental threats such as climate change, species extinction, deforestation, water shortages and the collapse of fisheries.
