Climate change’s greatest injustice is that poor countries are paying the highest price for a problem they did not create.
Global warming is a global challenge, and it is in all our interests to act. But unless we act right now we can say goodbye to the vision of a world free from poverty.
Set the pace
What poor countries need most is for global carbon emissions to be drastically cut. And rich countries must take the plunge first, setting targets of at least 80% by 2050.
‘On average, each person in the UK releases ten times more carbon per year than someone in sub-Saharan Africa.’
This is the absolute minimum action required if global warming is to be kept below the tipping point of 2°C.
We’re calling on the UK to set the pace:
In its Climate Change Bill
To commit the UK to at least 80% cuts in carbon emissions by 2050.
To make it mandatory for UK companies to declare to an agreed standard the full extent of their global carbon emissions, right up and down their supply chain, in their annual reports.
Email your MP and call for a tougher Climate Change Bill. Act now!
What's the Climate Change Bill, and why's it important? Find out more
Internationally
Give us five
80% by 2050 means cuts of 5% each year. That means serious action by the government, companies – and us.
We can all make a difference by cutting our carbon. Make no mistake: 5% is a big challenge. But it’s one we must meet. Millions of lives depend on it.
As voters, investors, consumers and employees we are in a powerful position to make a difference.
Here’s what we want – and how you can help.
Dirty business
The government says that UK carbon emissions are 2% of the global total. But if we take account of the international activities of UK companies, the national contribution soars to 12-15%.
Britain’s corporate sector has a huge part to play if the UK is to take an international lead in the fight against climate change. We want all UK-based companies to:
To start with, our campaign will focus on Morrisons supermarket chain, Barclays Bank and power company International Power. Between them, these three exemplify how UK companies are failing to tackle their global carbon footprint. We want them to show their competitors there is another way.
Gordon Brown: put a knot in UK emissions
And the UK government must make sure business does its bit. We want it to:
develop an agreed standard for companies to calculate their global carbon footprint
require all companies to publish their global carbon footprint in their annual report using this standard.
Email UK prime minister, Gordon Brown, now, and sign up to our Great Cut the Carbon Shoelace Petition.
Cut your own carbon
UK households and transport account for more than a third of national carbon emissions, and the figure is similar in Ireland.
Here are some ideas on how to reduce your own carbon emissions by 5% and power some change at work, home, school, university and church.
Switch electricity supplier to Ecotricity, a company that invests in green energy – and donates £15 to Christian Aid for each new customer. Find out more.