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New Campaign For Climate Change law

Posted: 25/05/2005

Radiohead front man Thom Yorke is calling for thousands of people across the country to back The Big Ask, a new national climate change campaign to make the Government legally responsible for reducing the UK's impact on global warming. It comes as a NOP survey shows that nearly three quarters of the public believes the Government is not doing enough to tackle climate change.

The UK is failing to meet its climate change targets and The Big Ask campaign, launched by Friends of the Earth, challenges the Government to bring in a new climate change law. The law would force the Government to take responsibility for the UK's contribution to global warming by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by three per cent every year. The Big Ask campaign is backed by a new report by Friends of the Earth which shows how the Government can meet carbon dioxide reduction targets without nuclear power. Carbon dioxide emissions have risen under Labour.

The new law would force the Government to cut emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, by three per cent every year. This would mean the UK was genuinely leading the world on climate change. It would provide far greater certainty for the environment and for the industries that need to change to tackle climate change. Avoiding action in the short term will only lead to more expensive and drastic action having to be taken in the future. The public can back the campaign by logging onto www.thebigask.com

NOP SURVEY RESULTS

A NOP survey for Friends of the Earth, published today, confirms that the public wants the Government to show leadership on climate change. The poll revealed that:

* 73 per cent do not think that the Government is doing enough to tackle climate change;

* 55 per cent think that the Government should be taking the lead on climate change - 26 per cent said individuals; 13 per cent plumped for business.

Friends of the Earth director, Tony Juniper said: "Climate change is the biggest threat the planet faces. Urgent action is desperately needed. But despite Government promises to cut carbon dioxide levels, emissions are rising. The Big Ask campaign aims to make the Government legally responsible for tackling climate change. We want a new law requiring ministers to cut UK carbon dioxide emissions by three per cent each year which will make us genuine global leaders on the issue of climate change. We need the public to help us achieve this by asking the Government to do more, and asking their MPs to back the Climate Change Bill. It could be the most important question you ever ask."

Briefings on The Big Ask; Climate change and How to achieve 3% cuts:
www.foe.co.uk/resource/media_briefing/climatechangeimpacts.pdf
www.foe.co.uk/resource/media_briefing/thebigaskmediabrief.pdf
www.foe.co.uk/resource/media_briefing/twelvepointplan.pdf

http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/consultation_responses/ccpr_foe_submission.pdf


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