Motion #01

Climate Targets

Synopsis

Due to lack of effective action by governments since our zero carbon by 2030 target was set, this motion proposes to remove timebound climate targets from the Policies for a Sustainable Society and simultaneously enter into the Record of Policy Statements the emissions reductions possible with our current policies.

To view the background paper for this motion, click here.

Motion

Changes to The Climate Emergency and Food and Agriculture chapters of Policies for a Sustainable Society (PSS) and Statement to be entered into the Record of Policy Statements (RoPS)

CC013 currently reads:

“CC013 The Climate Emergency is a global problem and can only be tackled by global action. Such action must be based on the work of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and especially on the Paris Agreement of 2015 (which the UK has ratified). We support the aims of the Agreement to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels”. In aggregate, the national emissions plans (NDCs Nationally Determined Contributions) will not meet the aims of the Agreement.”

After “especially on the Paris Agreement of 2015 (which the UK has ratified)” insert “and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)”, and

After “We support the aims of the” insert “Paris”, and

Delete “In aggregate, the national emissions plans (NDCs Nationally Determined Contributions) will not meet the aims of the Agreement.” so that it reads:

CC013 The Climate Emergency is a global problem and can only be tackled by global action. Such action must be based on the work of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and especially on the Paris Agreement of 2015 (which the UK has ratified) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). We support the aims of the Paris Agreement to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above preindustrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels”.

CC014 currently reads:

“CC014 As the first country to industrialise and a major emitter of greenhouse gases over many decades the UK bears a particular responsibility. It should:

1. Act as an advocate for the Paris Agreement.
2. Increase its Paris Agreement commitments on emissions reductions, climate finance, capacity building and technology transfer.
3. Make the case for compensation for climate-related loss and damage and begin to pay such compensation.
4. Advocate an emergency international agreement to conserve and enhance carbon sinks and reservoirs including forests, peatfields and coastal and estuarine areas.
5. Reduce, by international collaboration, the emissions associated with its imports.
6. Support the Sustainable Development Goals.”

In the first sentence, after “As” insert “a rich country that was” and delete “country”, and

In the second point, after “commitment” add “through increasingly ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)”, and

In the sixth point, after “Sustainable Development Goals” insert “with the exception of Goal 8 that we do not support in its entirety due to its emphasis on economic growth (see PB106)”, so that it reads:

“CC014 As a rich country that was the first to industrialise and a major emitter of greenhouse gases over many decades the UK bears a particular responsibility. It should:

1. Act as an advocate for the Paris Agreement.
2. Increase its Paris Agreement commitments through increasingly ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on emissions reductions, climate finance, capacity building and technology transfer.
3. Make the case for compensation for climate-related loss and damage and begin to pay such compensation.
4. Advocate an emergency international agreement to conserve and enhance carbon sinks and reservoirs including forests, peatfields and coastal and estuarine areas.
5. Reduce, by international collaboration, the emissions associated with its imports.
6. Support the Sustainable Development Goals with the exception of Goal 8 that we do not support in its entirety due to its emphasis on economic growth (see PB106).”

CC015 currently reads:

“CC015 The UK should base its future emissions budgets on the principles of science and equity and the aim of keeping global warming below 1.5 C. These principles entail the UK reducing its own emissions to net zero by 2030 and seeking to reduce the emissions embedded in its imports to zero as soon as possible. The urgency of these objectives requires the UK to make overcoming the technological, political and social obstacles a national priority.”

In the first sentence, replace “and” with “with”, and

In the second sentence, after “reducing its own emissions” insert “, both territorial and consumption,” and delete “by 2030 and seeking to reduce the emissions embedded in its imports to zero”, so that it reads:

“CC015 The UK should base its future emissions budgets on the principles of science and equity with the aim of keeping global warming below 1.5 C. These principles entail the UK reducing its own emissions, both territorial and consumption, to net zero as soon as possible. The urgency of these objectives requires the UK to make overcoming the technological, political and social obstacles a national priority.”

Insert:

“CC016 The Green Party of England and Wales will continue to develop a policy package that will reduce the UK’s emissions to net zero as quickly as possible. Updates on targets and forecasts will be recorded in Record of Policy Statements, Green Party manifestos and reports to conference.”

Renumber CC016 and CC017 to CC017 and CC018 accordingly.

FA101 currently reads:

“FA101 Aims of the Green Party Food and Agriculture Policy - to enable the development of a Food and Agriculture system that is effective and sustainable in all senses. We will work with farmers and other stakeholders to transform the system and create an industry that:

• Produces healthy, nutritious food and other useful outputs to meet the needs of the population at fair prices for producers, consumers and all workers in the food sector;
• Overall, in order to address the climate crisis this will mean producing less meat and dairy and more fruit and vegetables;
• Ensures food sovereignty and a secure supply of food; ensuring that there is sufficient food for everyone.
• Adheres to high standards of animal welfare and husbandry;
• Ensures sustainable practices across the whole food production system including farming in an agro-ecological way.
• Conserves and improves the health of the soil;
• Enhances the wider environment, including water quality, within and beyond the purely agricultural context;
• Will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to meet the Green Party target of zero emissions by 2030 for the whole economy;
• Promotes and maintains a wide diversity of wildlife;
• Offers sustainable employment, decent livelihoods, career opportunities, good working conditions and ongoing training throughout the workforce;
• Acknowledges that agriculture has a responsibility to manage land for a range of purposes beyond food production – flood prevention and alleviation, carbon capture, public access, maintenance of wildlife habitats, promoting biodiversity;
• Supports smaller, local, and fair-trade enterprises and limits the concentration of power and wealth within the agriculture, food processing and trading industries.
• Educates the population about food and health and builds links between farms, schools and the wider community.”

In the eighth bullet point, replace “target of zero emissions by 2030 for the whole economy” with “commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions urgently as set out in CC015”, so that it reads:

• “Will reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to meet the Green Party commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions urgently as set out in CC015;”

FA301 currently reads:

“FA301 Food, Agriculture and Climate Change – climate change is the most profound challenge facing the planet. Agriculture and food production account for some 10% of UK greenhouse gas emissions. Soil is the most important carbon store in the UK.

• All farmers will be supported through advice and guidance to manage their farms to reduce GHG emissions to net zero by 2030. Carbon sequestration will be one of the outcomes to attract payment under the revised farming support scheme.
• We will set rigorous targets for GHG reductions, to reduce emissions to zero by 2030 across the Food and Agriculture System to cover farms and the whole supply, manufacturing and distribution system including imports.
• We will promote a move to a diet with significantly less meat consumption that will require fewer farm animals reducing emissions from ruminant digestion and releasing areas of grassland for crops, forestry or wildlife.
• We will introduce a carbon tax and this will apply both to agricultural inputs and to agricultural products based on the net greenhouse gases released during their production.
• We support the development of appropriate renewable energy systems on farms; we will monitor the growing of crops specifically for fuel.
• Lowland peat soils are vulnerable to erosion and carbon loss; we will support applied research to ensure that they are managed in a manner that reduces GHG emissions and returns them to being net sequesters of carbon.”

In the first bullet point, replace “by 2030” with “as set out in CC015” so that it reads:

• “All farmers will be supported through advice and guidance to manage their farms to reduce GHG emissions to net zero as set out in CC015. Carbon sequestration will be one of the outcomes to attract payment under the revised farming support scheme.”

In the second bullet point, replace “to zero by 2030” with “to net zero as set out in CC015” so that it reads:

• “We will set rigorous targets for GHG reductions, to reduce emissions to net zero as set out in CC015 across the Food and Agriculture System to cover farms and the whole supply, manufacturing and distribution system including imports.”

Enter into the Record of Policy Statements:

As of 2022, with current Green Party policies the greenhouse gas emissions produced in the UK would reduce by 50% over six years.

As of 2022, with current Green Party proposed policies, UK greenhouse gas production emissions can be reduced to about 140 MtCO2e (megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) in 2030.

With current Green Party policies the UK would make reductions such that our emissions will be as follows:

• 140 MtCO2e production net emissions in 2030 made up of 180 MtCO2e emissions and 40 MtCO2 sequestration
• 230 MtCO2e consumption emissions in 2030
• 1 Mt (megatonne) methane production emissions in 2030
• 2,000 MtCO2 cumulative UK production carbon dioxide emissions in 8 years from 2023 to 2030

The UK production emissions in 2030, as above, can be reduced for each sector to:

• 5 MtCO2e for power
• 20 MtCO2e for buildings
• 40 MtCO2e for transport
• 20 MtCO2e for industry
• 60 MtCO2e for land use and agriculture
• 15 MtCO2e for waste and Fluorinated (F) gases
• -20 MtCO2e for negative emissions technologies

The emissions reductions are built on the following main assumptions:

• Ambitious interpretations of Green Party Policies for a Sustainable Society (PSS)
• Policies in the Green Party 2019 General Election manifesto
• 70% reduction in UK aviation relative to 2019
• 50% reduction in UK car use relative to 2019
• There will be early behavioural changes to reduce emissions