Targets For The Climate Change Review

EDM number 282 in 2004-05, proposed by Norman Baker on 02/12/2004.

That this House recognises the severity of the global threat posed by climate change to the future of people and nature; notes with concern the effects, as outlined by the World Wildlife Fund, that climate change is already having on natural systems across the world, including ice-cap retreat, coral reef bleaching, the extinction of numerous species, and increased frequency of extreme weather events; accepts the critical importance of ensuring that average global temperature increases stay below 2 degrees Celsius, from pre-industrial levels, as acknowledged by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and that industrialized country greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 60 to 80 per cent. by 2050 to ensure that this limit is not reached; further accepts that the 2 degrees Celsius limit is a critical tipping point, beyond which the global impact of climate change will be irreversible; believes that the Prime Minister's prioritisation of climate change through the UK's leadership of the G8 in 2005 is welcome provided that it involves an acceptance of the 2 degrees Celsius limit and urgent action, domestically, to cut carbon emissions; and therefore urges the Government to acknowledge the importance of the 2 degrees Celsius limit in its Climate Change Review and put in place policies to meet its objective, as outlined in the Energy White Paper, of cutting the UK's carbon emissions by 20 per cent. by 2010 and 60 per cent. by 2050.

This motion has been signed by a total of 188 MPs.