18th November 2006

The Queen's Speech will mean the end of the road for Bristols' airport expansion plans which were announced earlier this month

The Climate Change Bill included in this years Queens Speech is welcomed by the Green Party, not as a solution to the challenges of climate change but a first tottering baby step in a process which will change society. Greens argue that the target of a 60 per cent cut in CO2 emissions by 2050 will need to be tightened, but even the present Bill means that there will be significant changes in Bristol immediately.

Cllr Charlie Bolton, Bristol’s first Green Party Councillor said: "While we need to go further and faster in reducing our carbon emissions, even this weak climate bill will mean that all future road building projects and airport expansion will have to be shelved, forever. Their carbon footprint is simply too massive."

Cllr Philip Booth, a Stroud District councillor and spokesperson for Gloucestershire Green party, said: "We have campaigned against Bristol airports' expansion here in Gloucestershire as the bottom line is that expansion as planned will cancel out all the efforts the rest of us across the region make to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That by itself is enough to rule out expansion. The real world economy simply could not stand the growth in aviation, that BIA wants to take part in. Add to that the impacts, of more holiday makers spending money overseas, noise, nuisance, and traffic, and there's really no argument."

The British lag behind Europe when it comes to action on the climate. The French Prime Minister has just announced the creation next year of a coal tax and a 10-percent increase in taxation of industrial and air transport pollution in France - to re-enforce the principle of the polluter pays. Spain has just made solar panels compulsory on all new and renovated buildings - predicted to bring energy savings of 30 to 40 percent for each building and a reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from energy consumption of 40 to 55 percent. Germans have incentivised installation of renewables by paying a higher rate for carbon-free electricity sold to the grid. They are also doubling the effect by lending about £1bn a year, interest free, to householders and companies to install wind and solar. The whole scheme is paid by asmall charge (€0.5 per kWh) on fossil-fuel generated electricity. Italy's Green Party Environment Minister is also pushing for a similar scheme.

Charlie Bolton said: "It is clear that the sooner we make these essential cuts in our emissions, the less difficult it will be. It is up to each individual, family, business and organisation to look to the future and make changes in our day to day life. The benefits will be huge and the sooner we do it the less damage will be done. The Green Peer Lord Beaumont will be trying to amend and tighten up this Climate Change Bill as it goes through the House of Lords. He will also call for a feasibility study and a pilot scheme for a personal carbon trading scheme. This would mean each citizen will be given a certain carbon allowance and if they wish to pollute above that limit, they will have to buy permits from those who don’t - the essential principle is that of a fair share and the polluter pays."