The admission undermines the Government's claim to be in the vanguard of cutting the pollution that causes climate change – on the eve of negotiations among the world's most powerful leaders this week.
Global warming will be high on the agenda of the G8 summit that opens in Toyako, Japan, tomorrow – along with the rise in oil and food prices, Third World development and Zimbabwe. It will also be the focus of simultaneous talks with the leaders of China, India, Brazil and other large developing countries. Ministers have long presented Britain as a leader in tackling climate change, and last week a report published by WWF (formerly the World Wildlife Fund) and Allianz, the insurance company, concluded that it was performing better than any other G8 country. But figures revealed last week in an obscure government report – snappily entitled Development of an Embedded Carbon Emissions Indicator – tell a much more sobering story.
Produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute and Sydney University for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), it concludes that Britain is responsible for 200 million more tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year than official figures admit, an increase of 37 per cent.
Subscribe
Subscribe to IEMA's newsletters to receive timely articles, expert opinions, event announcements, and much more, directly in your inbox.
Posted on 17th July 2008
Latest Posts
-
Impact Assessment Network Volunteers receive International Association of Impact Assessment (IAIA) Regional Award
- 20th March 2024 -
IEMA launches digital campaign to share knowledge and inspire action in sustainability
- 6th March 2024 -
IEMA comments on 2023 being hottest year on record
- 9th January 2024 -
IEMA reacts to COP28 agreement to transition away from fossil fuels
- 13th December 2023 -
New IEMA social sustainability steering group – express your interest in joining
- 24th November 2023 -
IEMA comments on State of Nature report
- 28th September 2023