Former Conservative leader Michael Howard has said the UK’s success at growing the economy while cutting greenhouse gas emissions shows climate sceptic “doom-mongers” were wrong to claim that dealing with global warming would damage the economy. A report by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) cited official figures showing the UK’s emissions fell by 33 per cent between 1992 and 2014, while the gross domestic product (GDP) per head of population grew by a startling 130 per cent. This means Britain has been the most successful of the G7 nations in achieving growth while reducing carbon footprint. The former Tory party leader, now Lord Howard of Lympne, said the report should encourage political leaders to cut emissions based on scientists’ recommendations. “Before we signed the United Nations Climate Convention 25 years ago, Sir John Major and I were firmly of the view that reducing Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions would not harm our economy. This analysis shows that we were right and the doom-mongers wrong,” he said.
Independent 10th March 2017 read more »