Campaigners disappointed by MPs' rejection of decarbonisation target

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Today's (Tuesday 4 June) vote by MPs against setting a decarbonisation target in the Energy Bill is ‘deeply disappointing and a missed opportunity’ said Christian Aid.

The defeat of a cross-party amendment undermines the growing low carbon energy sector and hampers efforts to tackle climate change which hits the world’s poorest hardest, campaigners said. The amendment to include a decarbonisation target could have put the UK on course for a near carbon free power sector by 2030.

Christian Aid’s Senior Climate Change Adviser, Dr Alison Doig, said the impact would be felt both in the UK and in the developing world.

"By voting to omit a decarbonisation target for our electricity sector MPs have increased confusion for the industry, destabilised investment across our energy sector and put into question the government’s commitment to the UK’s climate change target. There are no winners, just continued uncertainty," she said.

"Christian Aid is part of a wide coalition of 55 organisations, including major trade associations, industry, investors, church groups and NGOs calling for MPs to act to put the UK on track to become a world leading low-carbon economy.

"We believe this is too important to give up on. There is time for this decision to be put right and for clear signals to industry to be put in place.

"The impacts of climate change and our unsustainable thirst for fossil fuels is already threatening some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people through increasing drought, floods and climate disasters."

Source: Christian Aid