Britain Fails with Ambitious CO2 Reduction Scheme

The British government now admits failure to reach the promised reduction in CO2 greenhouse gas emissions of 20 percent by year 2010 (compared to 1990), writes the Guardian (28.3.2006) in an editorial. According to the Kyoto protocol the commitment were 12.5 percent, but prime minister Tony Blair promised to do more. Tougher regulations have to be installed to reach at least a 15 to 18 percent reduction, for instance, by a climate change levy, a CO2 tax or better home insulation. Meanwhile, the chief scientific adviser to the government, Sir David King, says in the Financial Times (27.3.2006) that "40 percent of Britain's electricity should come from nuclear generation, twice its current contribution. Sir David told the Financial Times that an 'optimal' scenario would see Britain's entire 'baseload' capacity coming from nuclear, with renewable energy sources providing a further 10 to 20 percent of electricity."