Ministers 'should be held to account on climate change'

A coalition of campaign groups and MPs is pushing for a new law to hold the government to account on its promises on climate change.

More than 200 MPs have now supported the introduction of a Climate Change Bill, which would set legally binding targets for reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.

The move is being backed by Labour former environment minister Michael Meacher, Conservative former environment secretary John Gummer, and Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Norman Baker.

They are backing a target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by three per cent a year.

The Bill would also require the prime minister to report annually to parliament on progress towards meeting the target.

And if emissions fail to hit the targets the government would have to introduce new measure get back on track.

Ministers would face symbolic pay cuts if they failed to cut emissions.

Friends of the Earth executive director Tony Juniper said: "It is critical that we set ourselves on a pathway to achieve the necessary carbon dioxide reductions.

"This Bill will set us on a sensible and achievable glide path towards the necessary long-term targets."

Environment minister Elliot Morley said he would "always examine carefully any realistic and effective measures to help achieve" the targets.

However, the government insists it is on target to meet its commitments under the Kyoto protocol.

Matthew Davis, WWF-UK's climate change campaign director, cautioned that targets which could be "missed with impunity" would not guarantee progress.

"They provide an illusion of progress, while covering up the lack of real action to reduce emissions," he said.

"This Bill will make targets meaningful, ensuring that ministers are individually responsible for staying on track, and spelling out the consequences should they fail.

"As well as the devastating impact on people, this could mean up to one third of land-based species facing extinction by the middle of this century while many marine species could also be lost."