This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/6242927.stm

The article has changed 8 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
Blair green views 'muddle-headed' Blair green views 'muddle-headed'
(about 2 hours later)
Tony Blair has been accused of giving "patchy" and "muddle-headed" leadership on climate change in the UK by his own sustainable development adviser.Tony Blair has been accused of giving "patchy" and "muddle-headed" leadership on climate change in the UK by his own sustainable development adviser.
And the PM's green views, in a Sky News interview, were "completely wrong", Jonathon Porritt told the BBC.And the PM's green views, in a Sky News interview, were "completely wrong", Jonathon Porritt told the BBC.
Mr Blair had said he would not give up flying, doubted any politician would tell people not to fly, and questioned the impact of UK-only climate action.Mr Blair had said he would not give up flying, doubted any politician would tell people not to fly, and questioned the impact of UK-only climate action.
No 10 later said Mr Blair would offset emissions from his holiday flights.No 10 later said Mr Blair would offset emissions from his holiday flights.
'Energy efficiency''Energy efficiency'
That decision was welcomed by Mr Porritt, chairman of the sustainable development commission, which reports directly to Mr Blair.
However, he said it was wrong to believe technology "could get us out of the mess".
It's like telling people you shouldn't drive anywhere Tony Blair
Mr Porritt said: "The irony here is that the prime minister's leadership, internationally, has been exemplary."
"He's done more than any other world leader to bring people to a sense of awareness about the importance of climate change. But here in the UK, his leadership has been patchy, and frankly muddle-headed."
During the Sky News interview earlier on Tuesday Mr Blair was asked whether he would give up long-haul flights.During the Sky News interview earlier on Tuesday Mr Blair was asked whether he would give up long-haul flights.
He replied: "I personally think these things are a bit impractical actually to expect people to do that.He replied: "I personally think these things are a bit impractical actually to expect people to do that.
It's like telling people you shouldn't drive anywhere Tony Blair "I think that what we need to do is to look at how you make air travel more energy efficient, how you develop the new fuels that will allow us to burn less energy and emit less."
"I think that what we need to do is to look at how you make air travel more energy efficient, how you develop the new fuels that will allow us to burn less energy and emit less. 'Personal efforts'
"How - for example - in the new frames for the aircraft, they are far more energy efficient." He added: "You know, I'm still waiting for the first politician who's actually running for office who's going to come out and say it [that people should not fly] - and they're not.
He added: "You know, I'm still waiting for the first politician who's actually running for office who's going to come out and say it (that people should not fly) - and they're not.
"It's like telling people you shouldn't drive anywhere.""It's like telling people you shouldn't drive anywhere."
Demands placed on people had to be reasonable to prevent putting people off climate change sacrifices altogether, Mr Blair added. He added later at a Downing Street press conference: "There are masses of things we can do personally."
'Realistic' HAVE YOUR SAY Why is everyone so quick to condemn him for doing something that thousands of other families do every year? Richard Moorehead, Nottingham href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5190&edition=1" class="">Send us your comments
He said: "Britain is 2% of the world's emissions. We shut down all of Britain's emissions tomorrow - the growth in China will make up the difference within two years. Mr Blair also said: "But I'm not going to be in the situation of saying I'm not going to take holidays abroad or use air-travel. It's just not practical".
"So we've got to be realistic about how much obligation we've got to put on ourselves. Environment Secretary David Miliband said the prime minister was setting an example by off-setting his air travel and using renewable energy in his house.
Here in the UK, his leadership has been patchy, and frankly muddle-headed Jonathon PorrittSustainable Development Commission But Friends of the Earth head of campaigns Mike Childs said: "It's disappointing that Tony Blair is refusing to set an example on tackling climate change.
"The danger, for example, if you say to people 'Right, in Britain, you know, you're not going to have any more cheap air travel', everybody else is going to be having it. "Aviation is the fastest growing source of carbon dioxide in the UK.
"So you've got to do this together and you've got to do it in a way that doesn't end up actually putting people off the green agenda by saying you must not have a good time anymore and can't consume."
Environment Secretary David Miliband said Mr Blair was setting an example by off-setting his air travel and using renewable energy in his house.
"But what people want to know is that we are in the business of serious policy, not just gestures," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One.
That serious policy included plans for zero-carbon homes and international measures such as the EU's carbon-trading scheme and the Kyoto Protocol.
Later on Tuesday Mr Blair's official spokesman said the PM had decided that he would make his personal - as well as business travel - carbon neutral by investing in environmental schemes such as growing trees.
That decision was welcomed by Jonathon Porritt, chairman of the sustainable development commission, which reports directly to Mr Blair, who criticised the PM's earlier comments.
Jonathon Porritt said Mr Blair was 'wrong' to believe in technology
He said that Mr Blair was wrong to believe that technology "could get us out of the mess".
He also disagreed with Mr Blair that it was impractical to ask people to make changes, as there was a growing willingness among the public to do so.
"The irony here is that the prime minister's leadership, internationally, has been exemplary."
"He's done more than any other world leader to bring people to a sense of awareness about the importance of climate change. But here in the UK, his leadership has been patchy, and frankly muddle-headed," Mr Porritt said.
Scientific doubts
Some experts also disagreed with Mr Blair, with Dr Robert Noland, reader in transport and environmental policy, civil and environmental engineering, at Imperial College, London, said energy efficient aviation, even if they did help, would not reduce air travel's impact now.
HAVE YOUR SAY Why is everyone so quick to condemn him for doing something that thousands of other families do every year? Richard Moorehead, Nottingham Send us your comments "Even if these technologies are being developed now it could be 20 years before we see any impact in the aircraft fleet," he said.
Environmental groups added their criticism, with Friends of the Earth head of campaigns Mike Childs said: "It's disappointing that Tony Blair is refusing to set an example on tackling climate change."
He added: "Aviation is the fastest growing source of carbon dioxide in the UK.
"But rather than taking steps to curb the rise in air travel, the government is encouraging it by giving the aviation industry multi-billion pound tax breaks and allowing UK airports to expand.""But rather than taking steps to curb the rise in air travel, the government is encouraging it by giving the aviation industry multi-billion pound tax breaks and allowing UK airports to expand."
Mr Blair's remarks were condemned by Conservative MP John Gummer, who co-chairs the Tory Party's quality of life policy group. Conservative MP John Gummer, who co-chairs his party's quality of life policy group, said: "He [Mr Blair] can expect nothing at all from the electorate unless he himself does what he knows is right.
"He can expect nothing at all from the electorate unless he himself does what he knows is right.
"If he does what he knows perfectly well is a shaming thing, which is to go off to the sun, when he could perfectly well have done something which was much less damaging, then he knows that, in his position, that was a very great dereliction of duty."
Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Chris Huhne said ministers needed to re-examine their environment policies.Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Chris Huhne said ministers needed to re-examine their environment policies.