For immediate release: Wednesday 24 June 2009
SCOTLAND'S CLIMATE BILL SETS A PRECEDENT FOR EUROPE
BRUSSELS (BELGIUM), 24 June 2009 - Friends of the Earth Europe has
warmly welcomed the groundbreaking Climate Change Bill passed in
Scotland today.
Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) today voted for a target to
reduce greenhouse gases by 42 per cent by 2020 – the most ambitious
statutory target in the world.
The vote followed an overwhelming display of support for early action to
cut emissions from scientists, Scottish celebrities and campaigners who
travelled to the Parliament in Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, to lobby
their MSPs.
Friends of the Earth Europe's climate campaign coordinator, Sonja
Meister said:
“With this law Scotland is leading the world in the fight to tackle
dangerous climate change. The emission cuts now required by law in
Scotland are the first in the world to be in line with what science
tells us is needed.
“The EU should now follow Scotland’s lead and set equally ambitious
targets to help get the international climate negotiations on the right
path.”
The Chief Executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, Duncan McLaren, said:
“Scotland played a leading role in the Industrial Revolution, and now we
can play a leading role in the transition to a low carbon economy with
new green jobs for the next generation.
“Climate justice and climate science tell us we urgently need to make
emission cuts of at least 42 per cent by 2020. The technology exists to
deliver them. The Scottish Government must now exercise the political
will to make it so.”
Scotland's Climate Change Bill comes in the same week that the Hungarian
parliament took a major step towards the realisation of a climate law.
On Monday evening Hungarian MPs adopted a resolution on the preparations
of a climate law initiated by the Friends of the Earth Hungary and the
Hungarian National Council for Sustainable Development.
Around Europe, Friends of the Earth groups are asking governments to
commit to annual cuts in climate changing emissions as part of the
European Big Ask. Friends of the Earth's Europe-wide climate campaign
aims to get governments and the European Union to commit to legally
binding annual cuts in emissions to fight climate change. The Big Ask
calls on the European Union to commit to at least 40 per cent reductions
in greenhouse gas emissions within Europe by 2020 and 100 per cent by 2050.
ENDS
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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
In Scotland:
Corinne Evans, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Tel: +44-7914-656049
Iain Thom, Friends of the Earth Scotland, Tel: +44-7730-609317
In Brussels:
Sonja Meister, Friends of the Earth Europe +49 176 64608 515 (German
mobile) or + 32 4849 75107 (Belgium mobile)
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. Friends of the Earth Scotland is a member of Stop Climate Chaos
Scotland (SCCS) which is a diverse, growing coalition of organisations
campaigning on climate change. The SCCS Coalition has 60 Scottish
members, representing more than 2 million supporters, ranging from
environment and development groups to faith organisations, trade unions,
student societies, care providers and many more.
2. In December world leaders will gather in Copenhagen to negotiate an
international climate agreement expected to come into force when the
first phase of the Kyoto treaty expires in 2012.