“We should be talking about hope, not fear” statement on climate change

Addressing the House, Claire Perry updated MPs on the UKs progress reducing carbon emissions, and set out other Government actions intended to tackle climate change. She said;

“There is no doubt that climate change is the most profound environmental challenge facing the world today, and one where more action is urgently needed. […] we should welcome the strong and growing pressure for more action to cut our emissions but we should also ensure that while we acknowledge the scale of the challenge ahead, we do try as hard as we can to build a consensus around change, so that communities across the UK, and indeed across the world, feel secure, feel optimistic and feel involved in our shift to decarbonise the economy.”

Responding, Barry Gardiner, the Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change asked the Minister to elaborate on areas outside reduction of emissions. He said the Government were consistently missing targets in these areas.

He pressed the Minister to commit to more ambitious targets, promising that the Opposition would work as closely as possible with the Government to achieve these measures, including pursuing a zero-carbon goal, calling for "even greater ambition and action".

• Watch Parliament TV: statement on Climate Change Policy
• Read Commons Hansard: Climate Change statement

Related information

House of Commons Library analysis

The House of Commons Library produces briefing papers to inform MPs and their staff of key issues. The papers contain factual information and a range of opinions on each subject, and aim to be politically impartial.

• House of Commons Library: Climate Change

Image: Albert Bridge via Geograph

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