Ken's Climate Change Strategy

Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London. London's Climate Change Action Plan - 'Action Today to Protect Tomorrow' - shows that Londoners don't have to reduce their quality of life to tackle climate change, but we do need to change the way we live. The Mayor launched four programmes which will form the basis of the Plan:* A Green Homes Programme* A Green Organisations Programme* A Green Energy Programme* A Green Transport ProgrammeHe announced that £78 million will be reprioritised over three years within existing Greater London Authority finances this year to launch these programmes.John Sauven, director of Greenpeace, said: 'Ken Livingstone is showing how the largest city in Europe can combat climate change. No other leader is on the same page.'The Government talks about cutting emissions, but is unwilling to confront the vested interests in the power sector, the building industry, the aviation lobby and the motor industry. Ken Livingstone is prepared to lead and take risks in responding to the challenge of climate change. The targets set in this report are demanding, but can be met with existing technologies. The Mayor is showing in London what is possible. Central government has yet to take such decisive steps.'In the past six years, the Thames Barrier, built to defend London from flooding, has been raised a staggering 56 times, compared with just three times in first six years after in was built in the 1980s.'We can lead the way with our actions in London, but curbing aviation growth and bringing radical policies like personal carbon allowances are down to central government. We need to see a real change at the top.'Nicky Gavron Deputy Mayor of London said: ' Cities have got to take the centre stage when it comes to combating climate change and London's leadership is crucial. Cities consume three quarters of the world's energy and are responsible for 75 per cent of all carbon emissions. Therefore we will fail in our efforts if the trend in cities is not reversed. Through our planning policies and the London Climate Change Agency we are spearheading a decentralised energy revolution. The government needs to remove the barriers currently holding back the roll out of decentralised energy and large-scale production of renewable gases and liquid fuel from waste. Remote centralised power stations are the single biggest barrier to reducing London's carbon emissions.'