On the day of publication of the report by Sir Nicholas Stern on the economic impact of climate change, ten former environment Ministers, including John Gummer, have signed a letter highly critical of the failure of motor manufacturers to meet emission targets set by the EU.

If we look at the sale of motor vehicles. Half of all sales are from the lowest quartile of the worst performing vehicles.

An industry spokesman has said that everyone in the industry is committed to cutting emissions. Obviously he has never heard of motoring fanatic Jeremy Clarkson!

The industry spokesman then went on to blame everyone else, especially the 30 million motorists in the UK who somewhat perversely persist in buying their cars and then driving them rather than leaving them at home

If we are to avoid the worst aspects of global warming and climate change, we have to be seeking now a 90% cut in carbon emissions. We have a long way to go.

In the face of all the evidence of climate change, there are still those who deny climate change, one such liar in the pocket of Big Business was paraded on the BBC Radio 4 World at One this lunchtime.

Reference

Lester R Brown, Plan B 2.0, Norton, 2006

Climate change fight 'can't wait', BBC News On-line, 30 October 2006
 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6096084.stm

Kate Evans, Funny Weather, 2006
 http://cartoonkate.gn.apc.org/funny%20weather/funnyweather01.htm

George Monbiot, Heat, Allen Lane, 2006
 http://www.turnuptheheat.org/

Keith Parkins, Curitiba – Designing a sustainable city, April 2006
 http://www.heureka.clara.net/gaia/curitiba.htm

You and Yours, BBC Radio 4, 30 October 2006

World at One BBC Radio 4, 30 October 2006

website

http:/www.risingtide.org.uk/
 http://www.turnuptheheat.org/
 http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/
 http://www.campaigncc.org/
 http://www.carfree.com/
 http://www.worldcarfree.net/