Martyn Jones

Labour Party | Clwyd South

UK On Track To A Better Environment

Martyn Jones MP for Clywd South applauds the UK’s progress toward fulfilling its target goals as set out by the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. 

Since 1997, when Labour took the reigns of the Government and adopted more powerful measures to enhance the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, greenhouse gas emissions in the UK have fallen by an average of 1% per year. 

The targets set out by Kyoto, which provided a more aggressive approach to begin to consider what can be done to reduce global warming and to cope with whatever temperature increases are inevitable, show that the UK is currently five years ahead of schedule.  Kyoto targets set the UK to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5% from 1990 emission standards, but reductions were met in 2003 when emissions levels decreased by 13.4%.

The cause for such emission changes is credited to the greater use of coal for electricity generation and the decreased sum of electricity imported from the continent.

To accompany the progress of greenhouse gas emission reductions, the Government is currently reviewing the Climate Change Programme so as to ensure that the 20% carbon dioxide emission reduction is met by 2010.

Commenting on the emissions reduction, Mr. Jones said:

“I am pleased to see that greenhouse gas emissions have fallen, and look forward to continued reductions as we focus on staying on track and fulfilling our commitments to improve the environment.”