Press Releases for 2004
CLIMATE CHANGE IS LOCAL - NOT JUST GLOBAL
16th September 2004Steve Dawe, Green Party Campaigns Officer, has challenged the local Conservative and Labour parties throughout East Kent to stand by the climate concerns of their respective party leaders. Michael Howard and Tony Blair have made major speeches on the environment calling for more action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions(1). However, the overall Local Transport Plan for Kent supported by local Conservative and Labour parties in Kent will not reduce traffic levels. He comments:
"The leaders of the Conservative and Labour parties do not need to convince the public that human beings are causing serious climatic changes to our planet. Most people already believe this and 79% support wind farms as one of our responses to this problem(2). But since massive increases in emissions from transport are contributing to climate change, what will local politicians do to show they support action to resist climate change? Michael Howard and Tony Blair conspicuously do not offer means of reducing traffic or aviation both of which contribute to climate change. Aviation fuel, like marine fuel, is not even taxed."
Caroline Lucas MEP for the South East adds:
"The Conservative Party is committed to more road-building, more airport expansion, and increased freight-mileage. Conservatives have routinely opposed rises in fuel tax, have rejected a European levy on aviation fuel which could be implemented immediately, and have failed to invest in public transport."
She also notes, of Tony Blair's speech:
"We agree that we need clear and consistent policies and messages but this speech falls far short: Blair expresses deep concern that aviation will account for 25 per cent of CO2 emissions by 2030 but yet he has given the green light to airport expansion on a massive scale(3).all the hot air he can muster will do nothing to address this glaring inconsistency. We are in danger of going down in history as the species that spent all its time monitoring its own extinction rather than taking the steps necessary to prevent it." END c355 words
FURTHER INFORMATION: Steve Dawe on 01233 645167 or 07747 036192. Contact address as above. Notes: 1. Michael Howard spoke on 13th September and Tony Blair on 14th September. 2. New poll by Greenpeace www.greenpeace.org.uk 3. The Green Party rejects airport expansion at Manston and Lydd. See www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk for details of campaigning against airport expansion in the South East.
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