British law to cut carbon output

By Mark Rice-Oxley, Straits Times 17 Nov 07;

LONDON - BRITAIN has set a global precedent by producing legislation that would for the first time require the government to achieve sizeable cuts in carbon emissions.

The Climate Change Bill, which is expected to be passed by parliament and become law early next year, is the centrepiece of government efforts to steer Britain towards a low-carbon economy.

The law will require present and future governments to cut emissions by 3 to 4 per cent each year so that Britain's carbon footprint in 2050 is 60 per cent smaller than what it was in 1990.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said on Thursday that Britain wanted to 'show the world that we're taking decisive action within our own borders, particularly ahead of the crucial talks in Bali next month where we want to launch formal negotiations on a comprehensive future climate deal that involves every major country on earth'.

Activists have hailed the legislation as a landmark, but say the targets are not ambitious enough. They argue that in order to prevent catastrophic overheating, major industrialised countries should be aiming for 80 per cent cutbacks by 2050.

The impact on ordinary Britons of the carbon cutback will be slight: better insulation in houses, new charges on gas-guzzling vehicles and a gradual move towards renewable energy.

Some scientists are urging deeper cuts to prevent a rise in global temperatures of more than two degrees Celsius.

Dr Kevin Anderson, an expert at Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, a leading British think-tank, favours a radical option of 'personal carbon budgets', a credit-card style system of allocations that people would spend like money.

'For example, I might decide to fly twice a year, but not have a car. Someone else might want a bigger house, a small car and take only one flight, or not fly at all. It's a mechanism that allows for a bit of choice,' he said.