Sir, The passage of the Climate Change Bill through Parliament is at a critical stage (comment, March 8). One highly controversial issue is the use of overseas credits or “offsets” in achieving the UK’s emissions reduction targets.

The science of climate change is clear; the world needs to make deep cuts in its emissions, and rich countries such as the UK need to lead by cutting our emissions by a minimum of 80 per cent by the middle of this century.

The Government is increasingly aware of this need, but it is now clear that rather than making such reductions at home or even by trading permits with our European neighbours, the Government envisages buying its way out of much of the problem by purchasing offsets from poorer nations.

If all rich countries seek to do this then not only will we shift the cutting of emissions on to the shoulders of nations poorer and less responsible for the problem than ourselves, but we will not tackle climate change.

To head off climate change without compounding its injustices, countries such as the UK, where major industrial CO2 emissions first began, must not only cut by at least 80 per cent at home but must also help to finance clean development in poorer countries.

Charles Abugre
Head of Global Advocacy and Policy, Christian Aid

Phil Bloomer
Campaigns and Policy Director, Oxfam

Peter Hardstaff
Head of Policy, World Development Movement

Paul Cook
Head of Policy, Tearfund

Andrew Simms
Policy Director, New Economics Foundation

Andrew Scott
Policy and Programmes Director, Practical Action