Less than 24 hours into their historic coalition, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats committed to cut central government’s emissions by 10% over the next 12 months.
It’s an amazing development: before today’s announcement, a select (but forward-thinking) handful of governmental departments were signed up, including the Foreign Office and the Department of Energy and Climate Change, as well as 10 Downing Street itself.
The consequences of this pledge are nothing short of immense: the government estate covers 250,000 hectares and emits the same amount of carbon as the whole of Liverpool. A 10% cut in government emissions adds up to around 600,000 tonnes of CO2 a year – the equivalent of taking 200,000 cars off the road.
On another, perhaps more significant level, the commitment shows the new government is leading by example, and acknowledges the effect 10:10 has had on swaying policy at the highest level.
Both parties threw their weight behind 10:10 back in September 2009, with Nick Clegg, David Cameron and many of their MPs signing up to reduce their personal carbon footprints – along with the government’s entire emissions were they to come to power.
The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats even voted together in October to sign up the Houses of Parliament to reduce its own emissions by 10%.
Eugenie Harvey, campaign director of 10:10, said: “This is the first announcement the coalition has made, and the inclusion of their 10:10 commitment bodes well for the importance they’ll place on carbon reduction this term. We’re glad to see they’re walking the walk”.
Let’s hope that this announcement, which encouragingly has come so early in the new administration, is the first of many positive moves towards a more sustainable government.
Watch the video to see Cameron breaking the news – http://www.1010global.org/uk/2010/05/video-cameron-huhne-1010-interview.