All Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group Is a Cross-Party ...

Annex 1: Joint Statement on a Cross-Party Approach to Climate Change
26 January 2006
In the light of the exceptional threat posed by climate change, and the need for robust, stable, and
long term strategies to bring about a significant reduction in UK CO 2 and other greenhouse gas
emissions, we have reached agreement as follows:
We accept the scientific consensus that human activities are causing climate change
to occur, and that the rate of change constitutes the most serious threat we face.
We believe that normal politics is simply not delivering the actions necessary to
tackle this threat.
We therefore support the establishment of a Cross-Party approach towards finding
ways to limit the emission of greenhouse gases and developing solutions to the
challenge of climate change.
We accept that a cut in both global and UK emissions of at least 60% by 2050 is
necessary.
We propose the establishment of a new, independent, authoritative body with a
specific remit to:
- Set binding annual targets, to secure reductions in UK greenhouse gas emissions
and monitor progress towards them;
- Advance measures to achieve year on year reductions in climate change gas
emissions;
- Publish a report annually on its findings which will trigger an annual debate on the
floor of both Houses of Parliament on the report; and
- Develop policy measures in the light of changes in scientific evidence.
We will work together to develop specific joint policy proposals, seeking agreement
wherever possible, bearing in mind the right of the devolved administrations to make
their own provisions.
We will establish a Climate Change Forum, comprising members of each Party,
which will meet regularly to take this initiative forward.
Peter Ainsworth MP, Norman Baker MP, Elfyn Llwyd MP, Rev Dr William McCrea
MP, Mike Weir MP
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