The government is to include emissions from the shipping and aviation sectors in the Climate Change Bill currently in the Commons, narrowly avoiding a backbench rebellion.

The bill, if passed as law, commits the government to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.

The initial exclusion of the aviation and shipping sectors from the target was criticised by environmental campaigners and backbenchers, with over 50 Labour MPs demanding that the sectors be included.

A spokesperson for the Department for Energy and Climate Change said: “Through the Climate Change Bill, we're putting in place the most ambitious legislation in the world to tackle climate change and cut emissions by 80%.

"The Government is determined that international aviation and shipping should be part of a comprehensive approach for tackling climate change.

"We want to reflect Adair Turner's advice to government: that emissions from aviation and shipping should be taken into account when developing our strategy to reach our targets, and his recognition that there is currently no agreed method of allocating international emissions to individual countries."

In response, Friends of the Earth Executive Director, Andy Atkins said: "The final piece of the jigsaw is in place. The world's first climate change law will also be a world class climate change law.”

Source

Building Sustainable Design