Government sets out vision for global deal on carbon emissions
Greenwise Staff
26th June 2009
The Government is today launching its ‘Road to Copenhagen’, a document spelling out what kind of global deal on carbon emissions it is calling for and why it believes a deal is so important.
In December, a United Nations meeting will take place in Copenhagen, Denmark, to hammer out a new global warming deal to replace the current Kyoto Protocol, which governs reductions in the emissions of greenhouse gases. The Kyoto Protocol, which Britain is already signed up to, expires in 2012 and a new deal that includes large polluting nations, such as the US and China, is seen as critical to prevent catastrophic climate change.
The Prime Minister Gordon Brown will deliver a speech today at London Zoo, in which he is expected to urge developing countries, such as the UK and the US, to show greater ambition in the fight against climate change.
The UK Government wants to lead the way on reaching a global deal on climate change. It was the first country to set binding targets to reduce carbon emissions under the Climate Change Act passed in December, and it has set itself an emissions reduction target of 34 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020.
As part of an awareness raising campaign about the need for a climate change deal, the Government is planning to send out 1000 ‘Road To Copenhagen’ pamphlets to schools, citizens advice centres and libraries. The pamphlets will give 15 top tips on what individuals can do to cut their carbon footprint as part of the global effort.
The Government is also launching an official website that presents its position on climate change negotiations in Copenhagen – www.actoncopenhagen.gov.uk. The website will act as the domestic and international hub for information and communications in the lead up to Copenhagen, the Department of Energy and Climate Change said.
Scientists have warned that even a two per cent rise in global temperatures could lead to catastrophic climate change effects and last week the UK Government published its UK Climate Projections, which showed that by 2080 temperatures in the country could potentially rise to 12 degrees centigrade warmer on the hottest summer days and sea levels could rise by 36 centimetres.