Lib Dems call for radical action on climate change
The Liberal Democrat’s environment spokesman has called for the Government to take radical action to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Norman Baker’s comments follow a new report which highlights a, as yet unexplained, rise in levels of carbon dioxide over the past two years.
CO2 levels measured at the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii rose by an extra 0.5 parts per million (ppm) in 2002 and 2003. For decades CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere has increased at an annual rate of 1.5ppm with any small fluctuations caused by natural events such as disruptive weather patterns.
However, scientists are now at a loss to explain the recent rise to 2.0ppm in natural terms. Nor are they able to put it down to a significant increase in the burning of fossil fuels.
The author of the report, Charles Keeling, said the rise was a “real phenomenon”, noting: “It is possible that this is merely a reflection of natural events like previous peaks in the rate, but it is also possible that it is the beginning of a natural process unprecedented in the record.”
Tony Blair has already promised to put climate change at the heart of the UK’s presidencies of the G8 and EU next year, but some environmentalists fear that this will not be enough.
Speaking this morning, Mr Baker said: “The Prime Minister should set up a detailed programme now on how to deal with climate change.
“The Prime Minister can no longer treat climate change as a fringe issue. Radical action is needed, and Tony Blair should meet the problem head on.”
