Making the Climate Change Bill Count

Almost 300 Catholic priests, monks, nuns and religious sisters marched on Parliament to demand stronger measures to tackle global warming. Among them were four of our Mill Hill Missionaries: Fr Brian Oswald, Fr Michael Corcoran, Br Eddie Slawinski and Anne Shelley.

God has created a beautiful world, which we all have responsibility to cherish and protect. Climate change is threatening the future of the planet that we depend upon for our water, food and shelter and the world’s poorest people are already bearing the brunt of extreme weather conditions. Out of compassion and in solidarity with all God’s people, our faith calls us to act.

The group assembled outside the Houses of Parliament before expressing its concerns to politicians including Hilary Benn, the Secreatary of State for the Environment and Rural Affairs. They held up banners bearing the slogans "Kick the Carbon Habit" and "Stop Climate Chaos".

The event was organised partly by Cafod, the overseas development agency of the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and the Conference of Religious to speak out for Climate change that emphasised the moral imperative the UK Government has to tackle climate change. It aimed to persuade the Government to agree to amendments to the Climate Change Bill that is passing through Parliament and which will become law later this year. The Bill would:

• legally commit the UK to take action to prevent climate change
• give the UK a strong mandate in international negotiations
• be a world first and set an international precedent

To be effective the Bill needs to be made stronger, which is why there is a call for the following top 3 changes.

1.     Increase the carbon dioxide reduction target from 60 per cent of 1990 levels, to at least 80 per cent by 2050

2.     Ensure that the Britain's share of emissions from international aviation & shipping are included in the reduction targets.

3.     Set binding carbon budgets with annual milestones, to make sure that emissions reductions do not go off track.

Besides setting targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the Bill will establish an independent body, the Carbon Committee, to work with the government to reduce emissions over time and across all sectors of the economy. It will create powers to enforce new emissions-reduction measures and set out new monitoring and reporting arrangements.

Following a number of addresses, the day included the lobbying of Local MP’s in Westminster Hall. Over the next few months, the Bill will pass through various stages for consultation and changes and this is when our MP’s could make the Bill stronger and more effective.

The Rt. Hon. Teresa May MP, in whose constituency the Mill Hill headquarter is located, was not available to meet the Mill Hill group which attended the lobby on 23^{rd April}.  She agreed to meet them at Colby Gardens on Friday 2^nd May at 4.30 pm to discuss the Bill.

The MP acknowledged that Climate change was one of the greatest challenges facing the world today, being as much a social and economic threat, as it is an ecological one. She emphasised that politicians have to explain and engage with people on every level so that all can make a difference. Small changes can be quite effective and we all need to do our bit as individuals, in business and in Government. The hardest will be those areas and populations that have contributed least to the problem and it should be up to developed nations to lead the way.

Much more can be done to ensure the Bill is as effective as possible soundly based on scientific evidence. The Conservatives propose a Commission on Climate Change which would go beyond simple advice-giving and would make recommendations and set out clear strategies for tackling climate change.

She was aware that it has been argued that the proposed 2050 target of Carbon Dioxide reductions of “at least 60%" is inadequate. The Conservative approach would be to enable any targets to be based on scientific recommendations rather than an arbitrary number which may or may not be right. The first task of Committee would be to evaluate the validity of the 60% 2050 target.

She expressed concern that the present proposal for five year carbon budgets is insufficiently robust. There is a danger that Governments will not be held properly accountable, shuffling their responsibilities to their successors. The conservatives have proposed changes which would strengthen accountability.

She spoke strongly about the use of wave and tidal power having longer term benefits over and above wind farms.