Mark Ellingham: Legislation is just a beginning rather than an end in itself

Up until this week you could fairly characterise the Government's response to climate change as hot air. Blair talked the talk while doing very little concrete to show any leadership or commitment. The message seemed to be that nothing would happen if it cost a significant sum (witness the derisory grants for home energy conservation), or if they conflicted in any way with the interests of British industry, or London Stock Exchange-listed companies (whose activities account for at least 12 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions).

That changes overnight with the Climate Change Bill, which may well be Blair's most important piece of legislation. It is the first such legally binding bill in the world, and it has substantial targets: 60 per cent reductions in greenhouse gases by 2050, at least 26 per cent by 2020. It is a welcome start.

But there are major questions. The biggest is will Britain deliver? In 1997, Blair's government pledged a 20 per cent reduction in emissions by 2010 - and it is now passing the baton to the next generation, with a cheery wave that Britain is on course to meet its Kyoto obligations. Yet the only significant reductions have come about through the pre- ordained closure of coal-fired stations. And Kyoto, and this brave new Climate Change Bill, disregard aviation and shipping (carrying all the goods which our own industry no longer produce) which, if included, would wipe out all those gains.

So what's needed? A Climate Change Bill - yes, please. But a Bill that isn't seen as an end in itself. We need significant investment to become a low-carbon economy. Airport expansion needs a moratorium. And green taxes need to bite. The Liberals (and now the Tories) have it broadly right on taxing flights and other high-emission transport to change behaviour. But we need to see massive parallel investment in the railways and in clean road transport. Free electric coaches shuttling up and down the motorways in their own lanes. Big breaks (and punitive taxes) to discourage inefficient cars. A 10-year programme to see all taxis run on electric or hybrid power. Let's see action.

Mark Ellingham is editor of The Rough Guide to Climate Change

Interesting? Click here to explore further