By Paul Homewood

Harrabin is an utter disgrace:

The UK is “nowhere near” meeting emissions targets enshrined at the Glasgow climate summit, official advisers have warned.

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) says that, at current rates, the UK will be contributing to a disastrous temperature rise of 2.7C by 2100.

It says this could – in theory – be brought down to just under 2C.

But this could only happen if ministers agree tougher policies, and if other nations slash emissions too.

The government insists that it will meet all its climate change targets. Scientists say any temperature rise approaching 2C is extremely dangerous, so green groups want the UK to improve its emissions targets.

But the CCC says Britain will set a better example to the world if it keeps the same targets but actually delivers them through stronger policies.

It maintains that the government must nudge people towards greener lifestyles, and must tackle emissions from farming more aggressively.

The committee’s chief executive, Chris Stark, said: “The government is nowhere near achieving current targets.

“If it sets tougher targets that will simply widen the gap between ambition and delivery. What we really need is to strengthen delivery – and show the world that it can be done.”

His group has produced a shortlist of ideas to support Britain’s climate leadership.

They include producing convincing plans to cut emissions by 78% by 2035; and drawing up agreements to radically reduce so-called “embodied emissions” from major polluters such as steel and cement.

The CCC also says the UK should act to reduce embodied emissions in imported goods – the emissions created to make the stuff British residents buy.

This could happen through taxes imposed on carbon-intensive goods being imported into the UK.

Another proposed strategy could be based on the final agreement at COP to phase out inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels.

The committee says this gives the government licence to change tax policy so that fossil fuels pay for the damage they cause to the climate. It says the current tax system is currently clearly inefficient because it fails to bear down on polluting sectors that are damaging the climate.

This proposal could lead to increases in the cost of petrol, gas and aviation.

The government has been reviewing tax options, but it’s been reported that senior ministers have warned against policies that could increase the cost of living for some.

UK climate experts are worried about the Treasury’s role in emissions policy. The Chancellor was widely blamed for failing to support the ill-fated Green Homes Grant. And, in his Budget just days before the COP, he omitted to mention climate change.

“The government is moving far too slowly,” said Greenpeace director John Sauven.

“For the committee (CCC) to suggest it’s OK for the UK to contribute to a temperature rise approaching 2C is outrageous. We know that a rise of 1.5C isn’t safe – we’re not even all safe now with a rise of 1.1C.

“What are we going to tell future generations about how we wrecked the climate?”

A government response to the CCC has been sought.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-59489563

The headline is grossly misleading, because the UK is on course to meet its COP26 targets,

What Harrabin is arguing is that COP26, and for that matter Paris, did nothing to actually reduce global emissions, which would instead carry on rising. This, of course, is thoroughly inconsistent with the target of 2C, and ambition of 1.5C, “enshrined” at COP26.

The reason for this is that most of the world stuck two fingers up and said they would refuse to cut emissions, in contrast to the UK which has pledged to cut emissions from 1990 levels by 68% in 2030.

In other words, Britain is more than doing its bit.

But in Harrabin World, this is not good enough. Because most of the world refuses to do anything, Britain must make even more cuts to compensate.

The biggest irony is that the UK Government’s emission targets are those already recommended by the CCC. Yet now, the CCC say we must do more.

This is a total abuse of the CCC’s powers. Their remit is to advise government on how to achieve Net Zero by 2050, as enacted by Parliament. Not to set policy or change the law.

And Harrabin’s solution? Tax people more for petrol, gas and aviation. Why does he hate ordinary British people so much?

He also thinks we must radically reduce emissions on goods we import, such as from China. The import tax he suggests will simply cost the public yet more, without having the slightest effect on what China do.

And when we have crucified ourselves on Harrabin’s Cross, will it have made any difference to global emissions?

via NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT

DECEMBER 2, 2021

Harrabin Lies About UK Emission Targets | NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT (wordpress.com)