Government CO2 reduction plans not enough claims expert

June 24th 2010

The government's plans to substantially cut carbon emissions in the UK over next 40 years are not sufficient, it has been claimed.

Currently, the government is aiming to reduce CO2 levels by 80 per cent by 2050 as part of the green initative.

However, speaking at the trial of nine protestors yesterday (23 June), climate scientist Dr Alice Bows said this is unlikely to be enough to avoid climate change.

Nine members of the Plane Stupid group were in court charged with disrupting flights at Aberdeen airport in March last year.

Giving evidence for the defence of the campaign group, Dr Bows claimed that government targets were not high enough to address environmental issues.

"If we want to have a chance of avoiding climate change, our emission reductions would have to be more," she said.

"If we achieve the short term and the 80 per cent target, we have a 50-50 chance of avoiding dangerous climate change. The later you leave it, the harder it gets."

She added that air travel is currently responsible for around six per cent of carbon dioxide emissions in the UK.