Britain must stop economic growth to meet Kyoto targets

by William Yeatman on April 13, 2004

in Kyoto Negotiations, Politics, Science

The British Governments Sustainable Development Commission is worried that the United Kingdom will not be able to meet its Kyoto targets because its economy is behaving in too American a fashion.  The Commission, chaired by former Green Party head Jonathan Porritt, frets in a report to Prime Minister Tony Blair released April 14 that, American-style patterns of growth in aviation, road transport and fuel use are wholly unsustainable and will damage the quality of life of present and future generations.

Mr. Porritt remarked that, while economic growth has been faster in the UK than any other European country, this is accompanied by much greater inequality in income, and a long-hours, high-pressure employment culture more characteristic of American society.  The report calls on the UK government to use taxation to affect the price of energy and fuel and calls for ministers to adopt more “joined up” thinking over the next five to 10 years.  (Daily Telegraph, Apr. 14)

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