How a climate law would work
A climate law puts in place a strong framework that means all of government and all future governments must consider climate in their decisions. The measures to reduce our emissions are well known, renewable energy, public transport, sustainable agriculture, but we need a law to make these things happen.
At Friends of the Earth we believe that to be effective a climate law must contain the following key features.
Reductions in emissions in line with the science.
40% reductions in our 1990 levels of emissions by 2020.
95% reductions in our 1990 levels of emissions by 2050.
These figures are at the upper end of what the IPCC recommends we need to reduce by, to stay within a safe level of warming.
Annual and five yearly Carbon Budgets.
We have carbon budgets now that the Minister for the Environment announces each year the day after the financial budget. Under a climate law we would have five year budgets that are forward looking and legally binding and annual milestones to mark the way to meeting the required reductions. At the same time as any new budgets are set, the government should be legally obliged to set out, in a published report, its proposals and policies for meeting them.
A climate change committee
It will be the job of this committee to advise the reporting Minister on measure for meeting the targets that are scientifically, economically and politically feasible. The committee should be a non- departmental public body, made up of a chairperson, plus five to eight board members who are experts in their fields. Between them they will have knowledge of climate science, business, emissions trading, technology and economics. They will be supported by staff who will conduct analysis and research for them.
Inclusion of aviation and shipping
At the moment emissions from international aviation and shipping are not included in our commitments under Kyoto. They are not included in the carbon budgets that we currently have either. Trying to cut emissions and not including in particular aviation, is like going on a diet and not counting any calories from cakes or chocolate.
Compliance
The purpose of a climate law is not to punish a minister who is not meeting his reductions targets. The purpose is to find the best ways to meet those targets and to ensure that they are met. The committee in Ireland may well be the ones who publish the figures for emissions if they are strongly linked to the epa. It will be the duty of the minister to report on them and present them to the house. If when the committee announce the annual figures they are out of line with the required reductions, the committee will then also publish recommendations on how policies should be changed to reach the reductions. The focus is on finding political and practical ways to reduce emissions and to make sure these reductions happen, by aiding rather than threatening.
