9 August 2021
The Green Party has responded to the sixth report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Deputy leader Amelia Womack said:
“From floods and fires to droughts and rising sea levels, we are already living in a changed climate and we now have a very small window of opportunity to reverse these effects through bold and urgent action.
“If we act today, it will still take 20-30 years for the climate to stabilise again and yet all we’re hearing from government is pledges on targets with a big gap where the policies should be to meet them.
“This is just 1.1 degrees of warning – thinking 1.5 or 2 degrees is acceptable simply ignores the reality of the issue and demonstrates clearly that the government doesn’t appreciate we are in a crisis here in the UK and around the globe, and as a result is failing to manage the risks.
“We need action not words and a global carbon tax is the most powerful way of rapidly eliminating fossil fuels from our economies. To avoid a negative impact on those on lower incomes it should be combined with significant investment in public transport and home insulation, as well as a universal basic income.
“With COP26 just around the corner, this must be the moment the government finally realises that we are living in an emergency and does something other than just greenwashing.”
ENDS
Follow this news feed: Green Party