Foster Dismayed at Climate Action

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 5th Sep 2005

Bath's MP, Don Foster, has expressed his dismay at a Friends of the Earth analysis of government figures which suggests that Britain may miss its international target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Under the Kyoto agreement the government is required to cut emissions to 12.5% below 1990 levels by 2008-12. However, the figures show that carbon dioxide emissions, the main greenhouse gas, have risen by 5.5% since 1997, when they should be reducing by 1% a year.

Commenting, Don said:

"It seems that the Government's attempts to tackle climate change are going backwards.

"They have abandoned a 20% target for a cut in carbon emission in 2010 and now it looks like they are even going to miss the less ambitious Kyoto target.

"The Government's hand-ringing about climate change on the international stage is no substitute for real action that will cut carbon emissions at home."