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Environment |
We understand that swift and effective action is required to reduce carbon emissions in order to reduce the chance of catastrophic global warming. Fossil fuel reserves must, quite simply, be left unburnt, and our system retooled to use clean sources of energy as soon as possible.
Historically, the UK bears a large portion of blame for the current issue of climate change, and we must take a leadership position to show other countries the way forward.
We are committed to meeting (or ideally beating) the emissions target for 2050 set in the Climate Change Act 2008.
In order to meet this target, we will create a complete and legally-binding national carbon budget for the entire period up to 2050, so that we reduce uncertainty for investors, businesses, and citizens about the route ahead.
We will introduce a functioning national carbon trading scheme that sets a yearly carbon cap, and provides a market-based means for the country to stay below the cap. Existing polluters will not be "grandfathered" into such a system and given pollution permits for free, and all polluting activities will be included.
All subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuel companies will be removed.
We will campaign within the EU for reform of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.
We will push for increased climate action and leadership within all international organisations, such as the EU and UN.
It's widely acknowledged that insulation (e.g. cavity wall or loft) is the biggest, quickest way of improving the energy efficiency of the nation's housing stock.
Whilst many people have taken it upon themselves to install insulation, and there have been some limited local authority programmes, this should be accelerated through a nationwide programme.
The most efficient way of achieving the programme will be on a street-by-street basis, where homeowners and residents get a personal visit from a trained assessor, and then offered assistance in installing insulation by offering preapproved suppliers at a reduced, prenegotiated rate. Subsidy should be offered to homeowners with low incomes. As well as helping to arrange installation, the programme's staff would offer to manage the insulation, overseeing the work so that the resident doesn't need to take any time off work.
Landlords should be compelled to install insulation if the tenants accept the programme, and restricted from immediately raising rental prices.
The programme should be supported by a nationwide communications campaign and local community organising.
The target should be that at least 95% of residential buildings should have adequate insulation by 2020.
Balloon release (even using supposedly biodegradable latex balloons) harms wildlife. Sky (or "Chinese") lanterns start fires. We will seek to have both made illegal, and to have that law enforced.
Hunting with foxes is cruel and barbaric and opposed by 85% of the public1. We will resist any attempt to reverse the fox hunting ban.