Cameron "hard to take seriously on climate change"

David Cameron wants to reform the Climate Change Levy. He's adopted the recommendations of the left-wing ippr - Institute for Public Policy Research. But do they agree with the Tory chameleon?

Tony Grayling ippr associate director today said:
"The Conservatives are right to accept ippr's recommendations to reform the Climate Change Levy.

"Basing the Levy on carbon emissions rather than energy use would make it more effective.

"But there is a real contradiction in Conservative policy towards climate change because of their attitude to Europe.

"Without the EU there would be no Kyoto Protocol and no European carbon market. These are the building blocks of a global solution to climate change, including the Clean Development Mechanism that binds in the developing countries.

"David Cameron may be distancing himself from the 'fruitcakes' in the UK Independence Party but he is withdrawing the Conservatives from the mainstream centre-right grouping in the European Parliament.

"Unless he changes his tune on Europe, he will be hard to take seriously on climate change."

Tony Grayling is the author of Climate Commitment: Meeting the UK's 2010
carbon dioxide emissions target. It recommended reform of the Climate Change Levy and Agreements.

The Climate Change Levy is a tax on energy used by businesses.

The ippr say it should be reformed so that it is based on CO2 emissions from different fuels and the rates are increased towards the estimated social costs of greenhouse gas emissions of about £70/tCe.

The increased revenue should be earmarked for climate change mitigation measures.

Sectors covered by Climate Change Agreements should continue to receive an 80 per cent discount on the levy and agreements should be enhanced and extended.

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