CO2 targets 'must be increased'
Monday, 05 Nov 2007 08:25
Current targets aim to cut CO2 emissions by 60% by 2050
Science In Focus
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Carbon dioxide emissions can be cut by 20 per cent more than existing government targets for the year 2050, a report claims today.
Published jointly by the IPPR thinktank, WWF and RSPB, the study says that CO2 emissions could be cut by 80 per cent in the next 40 years.
It dismisses the government's current target of 60 per cent by 2050 as "inadequate", claiming it is based on outdated science and excludes the UK's share of emissions from international aviation.
The report concludes that an 80 per cent cut in CO2 would result in a slowdown of economic growth of two to three per cent of gross domestic product (GDP).
But it adds that the economy would still triple in size and reach the same level as it would on a business-as-usual scenario by 2052.
According to the report, an 80 per cent reduction could be achieved through switching to low-carbon technologies in the electricity sector such as wind power and hydroelectric power.
Vehicles must be used more efficiently and aviation growth constrained to meet the target.
Keith Allott, head of climate change at WWF-UK, said: "All the science shows us that to keep below the critical threshold of 2C global warming, countries like the UK need to cut emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050.
"This report shows that it can be done and that it is affordable, provided we start now. The world is crying out for true leadership on climate change - and the government can provide it by setting more ambitious targets in the climate change bill."
IPPR co-director Lisa Harker added: "If we are to play our part in preventing dangerous climate change, we need to be aiming for 80 per cent. For this to be achieved we would need a radical shift in the pace and scale of investment in low carbon technologies."