Conservatives and LibDems announce proposals to tackle climate change
Wed 19 September 2007
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The Liberal Democrat party has agreed a policy to make Britain carbon neutral by 2050 in the most radical anti-climate change proposals yet adopted by a UK political party. Meanwhile, the Conservatives Quality of Life Group has submitted detailed proposals for mitigating climate change which will be considered for adoption by the Conservatives' shadow cabinet.
The Liberal Democrat policies, if implemented, would mean the phasing out of carbon-emitting cars by 2040 and a large increase in investment in rail transport funded by motorway tolls for lorries. The LibDems also propose a large increase in Vehicle Excise Duty differentials based on emissions and the indexing of fuel duty to GDP growth.
The LibDem policy also supports the introduction of mandatory UK/EU average vehicle emissions targets of 120g CO2 /km by 2015, 95g/km by 2020, and zero carbon for all new cars by 2040.
There is also support for increasing the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation to require at least 10 per cent of all fuel sold on UK forecourts to come from renewable sources by 2015.
The Conservative Party has released the Quality of Life report, the last in a series of six policy groups to make recommendations to the shadow cabinet. The report was produced by a committee chaired by John Gummer and deputy-chaired by Zac Goldsmith.
In terms of road transport, the key elements of the Conservative's report - 'Blueprint for a green economy' - include proposals to:
- ensure that the true environmental costs of transport should be paid by the user.
- introduce a significant moratorium on the building of roads and airport terminals.
- introduce a new purchase tax on cars of up to 10% depending on CO2 output, as well as a sliding VAT scale between 5% and 17.5%.
- set Vehicle Excise Duty at a maximum of £500, more than double the present £215 top rate, graduated by emissions level. A new top band to cover large 4x4 vehicles.
- introduce car efficiency targets of 120g of CO2 emitted per kilometre by 2012 and 80-100g by 2020 throughout the EU.
- place cigarette-style warnings, of a mandated size, on all car adverts.
- introduce a new employer parking spaces tax set at market rate.
- cut the volume of car trips by 10%-17% by designing neighbourhoods where people can walk between amenities.
- review the cost-benefit analysis of road building.
The Conservative Party says it now intends to discuss and debate the proposals, before deciding which recommendations will become firm policies.
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