Government must ensure road pricing plans don't conflict with climate objectives: SDC Report
Sat 25 June 2005
View all news
The Sustainable Development Commission is calling on the Government to take urgent action on climate change. Their submission to the Government's Climate Change Programme Review calls for a 50% cut in CO2 emissions from road transport by 2025, stimulated mainly by a radical change in levels of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).
The Commission also warns that the Government must review current road charging proposals to ensure they dramatically reduce emissions as well as tackling congestion.
On Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax) the SDC calls for a £300 gap to be created between each duty band. This would mean that the top band would rise dramatically to £1800 a year for cars emitting over 220g/km CO2. Under the proposal, vehicles emitting below 100g/km CO2 would not be charged any VED.
The Commission is urging the Government to meet domestic emissions targets to encourage international action on climate change. The SDC's report calls for urgent action in the UK to make up an annual shortfall of at least ten million tonnes in carbon reductions, through radical new charges on vehicles and aviation, greater household energy efficiency and a carbon neutral public sector.
The SDC Chairman Jonathon Porritt said: "The UK has a massive gap to fill if we are to get back on track in meeting our 2010 target of a 20 per cent cut in CO2 emissions - and the signs at the moment do not look good. This is the real test of the UK Government's leadership in this area..."
Related Links
SDC link (for report download)
< Back to news list