Today the UK’s Prime Minister, Gordon Brown has announced that action on climate change is urgent and that developed countries must lead the way in cutting carbon emissions.
Also today the UK’s Environment Secretary Hillary Benn has announced the launch of a “one-stop” energy advice service to help householders save on bills and tackle global warming.
Great News!!! You would think….….
However the Guardian Newspaper reported on Saturday that the “The government department spearheading the fight against climate change is planning an emergency package of at least £300m of cuts covering key environmental services. The frontline agencies tackling recycling, nature protection, energy saving, carbon emissions and safeguarding the environment are all being targeted in the package which is being drawn up by Helen Ghosh, the top civil servant at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.” Information source: The Guardian Newspaper
So although the first two announcements are positive and showing that the UK government is trying to help tackle climate change I am rather confused! As how can the government be ‘committed’ if it’s cutting funding for key environmental services within Defra. This is extremely worrying and contradictory of the governments support for tackling climate change.
The Guardian Newspaper report also stated that “The cuts will impact heavily on nature conservation. Separate papers seen by the Guardian suggest that Natural England, the Defra body that protects places and wildlife, is expected to slash up to 30% from its budget for new conservation work.” Information Source: The Guardian Newspaper
I really do think that this is very sad news and suggests that the government is not truly committed to conservation and environmental issues. This combined with the government’s announcement of building 3 million more homes (which I reported in my Bills, Bills, Bills post means that there is a lot more work needed to be done to convince the UK government that we need substance and proper commitment from them in order to protect the environment – this includes essential funding!
I will be writing to my MP about my concerns over this and Defra. If you also feel disappointed and wish to show your support then I advise that you lobby your MP too, it is important that they know what the public think.
November 20th, 2007 at 8:53 am
that’s just so sad - but I think the same is happening here. Denmark was supposed to lead the way for alternative energy - that was the ambition for the former government. There has still been a good process during this government however when they decide to hire Bjørn Lomborg as enviromental advisor - well the battle against climate change suffered drastically..
now we have a really cool enviromental minister in Denmark ( even though she’s conservative) she knows what’s going on…
it’s incredible that they are talking about the enviroment because it concerns the public - but there are no real drastic actions to better it.. hmm
November 20th, 2007 at 9:12 am
I feel the same - that there’s a lot of talk but not much action. To give one example that has me fuming at the moment… we don’t have a car so usually take the train everywhere. We’re going to see friends in York this weekend and the cost of the cheapest return ticket (and 2 singles are no cheaper - we’ve checked all the options - although if anyone does come up with cheaper get in touch quickly!!) is around £90. So for myself and my husband that’s nearly £200 to go to York for the weekend - just on the travel. Clearly nobody wants us to stop getting in our cars with prices like these… and for those of us without cars, we’re well and truly hit in the wallet. I bet if York had an airport it would be cheaper to fly…grrrrr!!
November 20th, 2007 at 10:31 am
Henriette - good news that you have a good Environmental Advisor in Denmark now. Perhaps you and your friends could lobby her to make sure that Denmarks Government does not just talk and does some more action. I think that it is so important that it is made clear to the government that the people they serve are not happy with their decisions and lack of action.
Katie - I agree about train fare in the UK, it is far too much! I dont drive either (and never will)thus cycle, and use public transport.
I travel once a month by train to see my fiance in sussex, the only way that I can get it cheap is by a) Booking in advance and doing singles instead of a return b) Using my young persons rail card (though I will be told old next year to have one and c) Travel off peak, so I travel Friday lunch time and come back Monday mid morning. To travel on a Sunday night is nearly double!!!
I think that more needs to be done to encourage people to use public transport including making it more affordable, perhaps this is something that we can campaign on together.
November 21st, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Hmmm. Don’t know enough about situation in UK to really speak to it, but you bring up an important issue! That the need for resources for tackling carbon emission reductions should NOT take resources away from other important enviro issues, specifically conservation. Wildlands and wildcoasts conservation is often the first go when hard budget choices must be made!