Campaign success as government announces new climate change targets

Last week Christian Aid put out an urgent appeal asking people to write to the government asking them to keep their pledges on climate change.* Thousands did just that. The pressure seems to have made a real difference to political negotiations over the weekend.

The government have now announced that they will accept the advice of the independent Committee on Climate Change and commit to new emission reduction targets for 2025.

Alison Doig, Christian Aid's Senior Climate Change Adviser, said: "Christian Aid is extremely pleased that the coalition government has agreed to accept the fourth carbon budget. This should set the UK on the path to a green economy with huge potential for the UK to become a low-carbon leader in Europe.

"Now we need the government to lay the policy and investment foundation for our energy, transport and business sectors to make this vision a reality."

"We are pleased the Prime Minister stood up to pressure from other government departments and recognised the importance of the UK's leadership on climate change and its responsibility in tackling the problem.

"Poor communities around the world, already facing the impact of a changing climate, deserve no less than this."

*See: 'Ask Cameron to keep his climate change pledge' www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=18214