David Byers
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Gordon Brown today called for a "technological revolution" similar to the development of the steam engine to combat the effects of global warming.
The Prime Minister promised to cut Britain's carbon dioxide emissions by at least 60 per cent by 2050. He then went further, promising to consider reducing them by as much as 80 per cent, in his first speech on the environment since coming to power.
Doing so would require drastic changes to the UK's energy sector, he said, creating new business opportunities. The added value of the low carbon energy sector to the worldwide economy could potentially be as high as three trillion dollars per year, and it could create 25 million jobs, of which one million would be in Britain.
Environmental groups gave the speech a lukewarm reaction, however, saying that the Prime Minister would have to back up his words with action.
And the Conservatives accused Mr Brown of missing a series of environmental targets over the last few years, including presiding over cuts to environmental services worth £300 million.
The speech, hosted by the World Wildlife Fund, was regarded as a key chance to set out Britain's position two weeks before the UN's climate change conference in Bali, at which time world leaders will attempt to launch a long-term strategy to tackle climate change.
Mr Brown told his audience at the Foreign Press Association that Britain produces 654 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, which would have to be cut to between 155 and 310 by 2050.
"This means a significant change in our energy economy. Indeed, I believe it will require no less than a fourth technological revolution," he said.
"In the past, the steam engine, the internal combustion engine and the microprocessor transformed not just technology but the way society was organised and the way people lived.
"Now we are about to embark on a comparable technological transformation, to low-carbon energy and energy efficiency."
The Prime Minister added that his Government's Climate Change Bill would place a statutory cap on Britain's emissions by at least 60 per cent, and possibly as high as 80 per cent by 2050, and between 26 per cent and 32 per cent by 2020.
He added that the Government would support the development of new car technologies such as commercial hybrid engines, plug-in hybrids, electric cars and hydrogen fuel cells.

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All designed to try and take our minds off the real issues behind it all - this horrendous socialist regime and its disastrous policies.
stevgillamos, Romford,
Political statements are getting shriller all the time. All cater to the coffee shop communists. All this renewable energy fluff will only make CO2 worse if it is implemented. Switching the planet to solar requires building a collector larger than Texas. Only methof that works on paper is to use steel for construction and NH3-H2O distillation/recombination to store 10 days worth of power. Producing the materials alone increases atmospheric CO2 by 1/6. Associated activity will double that. Research on this process 3 decades ago leads to nukes as the only solution unless we revert to a North Korean economy.
Kyoto is a communist joke of the planet. Nukes were not allowed to attend the meetings. Renewable energy is by definition that which is useless. If somebody gave me a solar PV system for free, my property taxes would increase more than my present electric bill. Renewable energy is simply a scheme to increase taxes.
William Ernest Schenewerk, Los Angeles, USA/CA
Do you ever get the thought of... 'change the subject'!
Being PM was not for Mr Brown in my opinion.
Ambition can put us in places where we should not really be.
David, France, Pyrenees
The best green revolution for this traitor is to throw him into a pond covered in green algae where he will be very much at home - pond life with with pond life.
Charles Crosby, anytown, UK
A 'Green Homes Service hotline' - More jobs for gasbags and more hot air from Brown.
Jerry, Southampton,
Not that it bothers me. I am still to be convinced that the whole of the Global Warming warning is another excuse to boost tax revenues.
However, regardless of my view, one thing needs to be blarified by Brown. He claims that "The Prime Minister promised to cut Britain's carbon dioxide emissions by at least 60 per cent by 2050". Does the 60% refer to levels on CO2 emmissions in 2007 or the projected levels of 2050?
The point is hugley important, since, if the latter is true then Brown is using smoke and mirrors again to hide announce a smaller increase as a "cut".
Edwin Thornber, Bucharest,
I would rather Mr Brown tackle the problems of today rather than talking about 2050 - its all a convienent smoke screen. The goverment must love 'the enviroment issue' coupled with the 'war on terror' they can avoid having to talk about real issues.
Steve F, Bognor Regis, West Sussex
If the PM was serious about reducing global warming then why does he not push for all food to be organic? The Stern Report, on which he bases the need to reduce mans effect, clearly stated that modern agriculture contributes 26% to global warming with the majority of that due to the chemicals poured on the land - nitrates in particular. This is a substantial percentage and if man was responsible for the climate change then action should be taken.
Michael Henry, Bournemouth,
Jaw, jaw, jaw. More hot air from an idealogically bankrupt pol.
"The Prime Minister promised to cut Britain's carbon dioxide emissions by at least 60 per cent by 2050. He then went further, promising to consider reducing them by as much as 80 per cent...." Really? All by himself, is this?
Gordon Brown will be an active politician for, perhaps, another five-to-ten years. Based on his and his party's record, during that time, they will achieve precisely nothing positive and nothing of importance on a global scale.
Assuming the man does believe even a portion of what he says (and, yes, I'm aware of the proportions of that assumption), can we also count on him to single-handedly turn back any rogue comets that threaten our existence over the next forty years?
John Blackley, Austin, Tx, USA
There are several million homes currently burning fossil fuels to produce their hot water needs.They cannot afford to spend Three t o four thousand pounds 0on solar panel installation which would save thousands of tons of carbon gas`emission
The government has carried out an aerial survey of all homes in England and Wales and is aware of the emission and will have to to provide adequate finance to home owners if they are to tackle this problem.The present allowance is totally inadequate
Alex Pomeroy , London,
Mr Brown needs educate his MPs.
An Inquiry is currently under way into the need for a new road in south Dorset. The County council admit that it will pump an additional 2500 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, but the MP for South Dorset suggests that it will 'form the centrepiece of a sustainable transport scheme.'
That, plus Ruth Kelly's comments on the Andrew Marr show, indicate just how much Gordon has to do if he is to earn his green spurs.
John, Dorset,
A green revolution presaged by the departure of a Brown one sounds good to me!
philip, Ipswich,