Liberal Democrat peers propose amendments at report stage of the Climate Change Bill

Liberal Democrat energy spokesman Lord Redesdale moved an amendment to strengthen the Government’s Climate Change Bill. The Bill sets out a target of reducing CO2 emissions by 60% by 2050. Lord Redesdale proposed raising this target to 80%.

Lord Redesdale argued that this was needed to reflect the responsibility of the UK as one of the first industrial nations and to provide an opportunity to gain a technological advantage in modern technologies.

Moving his amendment, Lord Redesdale said:

“We should not look at moving up to an 80 per cent level as a problem; it is an opportunity. If we are to move to a low-carbon economy, we must look at adapting all our technologies. If every country in the world were also honour-bound to meet those obligations, it would give us a position in the market place that would be extremely helpful. We need only look at the Danes taking on the wind turbine industry to see that we missed out significantly in that area.”

Click here to read Lord Redesdale’s speech in full

The House voted against the amendment to raise the level of future CO2 reduction from 60% to 80%, with 53 for and 150 against. The Liberal Democrats voted in favour of this amendment.

The Government were defeated on the Bill in an earlier vote however. Peers voted in favour of an amendment to set out at the start of the Bill exactly what the legislation is supposed to achieve.

Specifically, this is that “UK emissions of greenhouse gases do not exceed the level necessary to contribute to limiting global average temperature increase to not more than 2ºC above pre-industrial levels.”

Speaking in support of the amendment, Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson Lord Teverson said that there was a duty on legislators to make legislation clear and obvious to the public. He said the amendment would do this by stating in plain language exactly what the legislation is about.

Lord Teverson added:

“it is quite clear from reading the scientific press that there is a great deal more uncertainty about when those things [climate change], the effects of which we can never reverse, will happen. That is why 2 degrees is so important, and why it needs to be stated clearly in the Bill, for Britain and the global community, where we, and I hope the Government, stand.”

Click here to read Lord Teverson’s speech in full

The amendment was passed, with 159 for and 149 against. The Liberal Democrats voted in favour of this amendment.