WIREDGOV

WWF-UK today (11 October 2011) welcomed the conclusions of the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), who warned that a review of the UK’s carbon budgets in 2014 would undermine investor confidence.

WWF also highlighted the opportunity that certainty on government policy could bring. A recent Carbon Trust Marine Growth Briefing 1 said for example that up to 68,000 jobs could be created in the UK wave and tidal stream industry alone out to 2050, whilst the Government’s Offshore Valuation Report estimates that the UK’s offshore renewables industry could create up to 145,000 jobs by 2050.

Nick Molho Head of Energy Policy at WWF-UK said: "In line with independent scientific advice, the Government should fully endorse the fourth carbon budget rather than making its adoption conditional on a review in 2014.

“Failing to clearly endorse the Fourth Carbon Budget now will not only slow down urgent action on addressing climate change, it will also seriously undermine investment certainty in the UK's low-carbon sector and result in the UK missing out on the opportunity of creating hundreds of thousands of UK jobs in low-carbon manufacturing."

WWF also backed the EAC’s call for ‘hard evidence’ before providing assistance to industry claiming to be at risk of carbon leakage

Nick Molho said: "The EAC is right to call for a clear review of evidence on "carbon leakage". However, assessing this risk and making decisions on developing policy solutions has to be based on real data about competitiveness, not unfounded lobbying.

“In any event, the risk of carbon leakage, which can be addressed through a range of policy tools, should not be used as an excuse to delay progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, given the enormous environmental, health and job creation benefits that meeting the Fourth Carbon Budget would entail for the UK."

Notes to editors

1. Carbon Trust, Marine Renewables Green Growth Paper:

http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/news/news/press-centre/2011/Documents/110503-marine-green-growth.pdf

For further information, please contact:  

George Smeeton, Tel: 01483 412 388, Mob: 07917 052 948, email: GSmeeton@wwf.org.uk