Sir, In just over ten weeks’ time, the government programme for the next session of Parliament will be announced in the Queen’s Speech. Given the urgency of tackling climate change, we have written to the Prime Minister, calling on him to use this opportunity to enable Parliament to debate and enact a legal framework for cutting carbon dioxide emissions.

It is now clear that the total volume of greenhouse gases we add to the atmosphere in the first half of this century will determine the severity of such impacts in the middle of 2050. While this is a global challenge, we in the UK must make our fair share of the cuts.

This means action over a period of time stretching way beyond the tenure of any one Government or Prime Minister. For this reason we support a legal framework for cutting carbon emissions, with annual targets and reporting and scrutiny procedures. A sizeable majority of Members of Parliament have also supported such a proposal; some 380 MPs have signed Early Day Motion 178.

By allowing Parliament to agree a long-term framework for tackling climate change that rises above party differences we will help future governments to tackle the issue while sending a clear message about the direction of Government policy. Climate change is a huge problem — but it is a solvable one.

PETER AINSWORTH
Shadow Secretary of State Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Conservative

CHRIS HUHNE
Shadow Secretary of State, Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Liberal Democrats

COLIN CHALLEN MP
All Party Parliamentary Group on Climate Change

ASHOK SINHA
Stop Climate Chaos

TONY JUNIPER
Friends of the Earth

DALEEP MUKARJI
Christian Aid

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