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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Climate bill set to be unveiled | Climate bill set to be unveiled |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The government is due to announce its climate change bill, aiming to cut Britain's carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by the year 2050. | The government is due to announce its climate change bill, aiming to cut Britain's carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by the year 2050. |
| Ministers say the law gives the UK the world's first legal framework for transition to a low-carbon economy. | Ministers say the law gives the UK the world's first legal framework for transition to a low-carbon economy. |
| Environment Secretary David Miliband has rejected opposition calls for annual targets on reducing emissions. | Environment Secretary David Miliband has rejected opposition calls for annual targets on reducing emissions. |
| "Changing your policy on the basis of one year's weather isn't a sensible way of doing things," he told the BBC. | "Changing your policy on the basis of one year's weather isn't a sensible way of doing things," he told the BBC. |
| "We think it's right that every five years we set carbon budgets in legislation, that we give business confidence about a 15-year period ahead so that we can really invest for the future," said Mr Miliband. | "We think it's right that every five years we set carbon budgets in legislation, that we give business confidence about a 15-year period ahead so that we can really invest for the future," said Mr Miliband. |
| "Instead we need a framework of legislation which gives real confidence to business and to individuals about the way in which our country's going to change to meet the climate change challenge." | "Instead we need a framework of legislation which gives real confidence to business and to individuals about the way in which our country's going to change to meet the climate change challenge." |
| Carbon budgets | Carbon budgets |
| Chancellor Gordon Brown has said the bill would mean chancellors would "manage our carbon budgets with the same prudence and discipline" as economic budgets. | Chancellor Gordon Brown has said the bill would mean chancellors would "manage our carbon budgets with the same prudence and discipline" as economic budgets. |
| Carbon budgets, expected to be every five years, will be set following advice from an independent committee on climate change. | Carbon budgets, expected to be every five years, will be set following advice from an independent committee on climate change. |
| Government will also have to report annually to Parliament on its progress in controlling emissions - which Mr Brown described as "a wholly new way of managing the UK's climate change effort, sustained by proper public accountability". | Government will also have to report annually to Parliament on its progress in controlling emissions - which Mr Brown described as "a wholly new way of managing the UK's climate change effort, sustained by proper public accountability". |
| But the BBC environment correspondent, Sarah Mukherjee, said opposition politicians are already planning to table amendments which would force the government to accept annual targets. | But the BBC environment correspondent, Sarah Mukherjee, said opposition politicians are already planning to table amendments which would force the government to accept annual targets. |
| David Miliband says annual targets are not sensible | David Miliband says annual targets are not sensible |
| Ahead of the bill's publication, Tory shadow environment secretary Peter Ainsworth said: "David Cameron has pushed climate change to the top of the political agenda. | Ahead of the bill's publication, Tory shadow environment secretary Peter Ainsworth said: "David Cameron has pushed climate change to the top of the political agenda. |
| "But this is too important an issue for normal party politics. We want to work with the Government and other parties to get the right framework in place. | "But this is too important an issue for normal party politics. We want to work with the Government and other parties to get the right framework in place. |
| He went on: "To be truly effective, any bill should have three elements: annual emission reduction targets; an independent body to set as well as monitor these targets; and an annual carbon budget report from the Secretary of State. | He went on: "To be truly effective, any bill should have three elements: annual emission reduction targets; an independent body to set as well as monitor these targets; and an annual carbon budget report from the Secretary of State. |
| "We've got to stop having a system whereby targets are set ten years in advance, ignored up until year eight, and then are quietly dropped in year nine. | "We've got to stop having a system whereby targets are set ten years in advance, ignored up until year eight, and then are quietly dropped in year nine. |
| Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Chris Huhne said his party was "certainly supporting the bill" but that the 60% target may "not be good enough". | |
| "We may well need to aim more towards about 80%, but it's a good first start and the framework is broadly right," he told BBC News. | |
| Christian Aid's senior climate policy officer, Andrew Pendleton, said: "Mr Miliband is to be congratulated for publishing the bill and he is right to be proud of it - he and the government are an example to the rest of the G8. | Christian Aid's senior climate policy officer, Andrew Pendleton, said: "Mr Miliband is to be congratulated for publishing the bill and he is right to be proud of it - he and the government are an example to the rest of the G8. |
| "But if the final legislation is not significantly stronger, the process would represent a massive lost opportunity. It is the first step on a long journey rather than the destination itself." | "But if the final legislation is not significantly stronger, the process would represent a massive lost opportunity. It is the first step on a long journey rather than the destination itself." |