This week, as the countdown to the UN Copenhagen Conference on climate change enters single figures, some of my colleagues in the Shadow Cabinet are delivering speeches on different aspects of climate change, reaffirming our commitment to the issue.
The summit in Copenhagen is a historic opportunity for the world to take bold collective action to deal with the looming menace of climate change.
On Monday, at an event kindly hosted by the Overseas Development Institute, I set out our belief that climate change isn’t just an environmental issue but is also one of international social justice – because a problem caused overwhelmingly by the developed world is having its earliest and most deadly impact on the developing world. Climate change is already part of the daily lives of poor people around the world and any deal must be consistent with the interests of the world’s poorest countries.
But we must also ensure that our entire approach to international development is consistent with our commitment to environmental sustainability – climate change is a fact of life that will both affect and be affected by international development policy across the board such as in gender equality and women’s empowerment, promoting long-term sustainable agriculture, tackling HIV/AIDS and addressing conflict.
I also announced in my speech that under a Conservative government, the Export Credit Guarantee Department (ECGD) will never again support investment in ‘dirty’ fossil fuel power stations. Instead, our vision is that UKTI and ECGD should become a champion for British companies that develop and export innovative green technologies around the world.
Read Andrew’s speech in full: Ending Labour’s support for polluting energy projects.
( 18 comments ) Tags: copenhagen, Overseas Development Institute
Comment by Summer on November 25, 2009 at 10:57 am
I totally despair of you Tories. Have you seen the emails and comments on the CRU code this week? Nigel Lawson has put together a body to examine this issue – and about time too. 60% of the UK public do not believe in this nonsense, and with this week’s events that figure is likely to go up. And what do you do – you spout even more socialist nonsense. Useless, totally useless!!
“The developed world has caused problems for the developing world by causing climate change” – what a ridiculous statement. Firstly, it ignores the whole balance sheet, secondly, MMGW is not proved, infact it could be global cooling, and lastly it completely ignores any environmental damage done by corrupt governments (in developing countries not our own!), deforestation, ignorance etc!!
Comment by James on November 25, 2009 at 11:08 am
Warmist theory is unravelling faster than a roll of Andrex attached to a puppy. Ignore the BBC and start using the blogoshere. If you are basing your policies on info from the CRU, then you have problems.
Comment by OMG on November 25, 2009 at 11:09 am
Well this may be ‘on message’, but be warned that you are behind on this issue. The leak of the CRU emails and code is of huge importance and will change the terms of the debate.
The data that went into the IPCC report was based on a very narrow set of real-world measured data, which has now been shown to be hopelessly disorganised and fudged.
You’ll lose votes if you don’t start getting more hawkish about AGW.
Comment by Forlornehope on November 25, 2009 at 11:25 am
On the opposite tack to Summer, how can anyone take the Tories seriously on this subject. All the main Tory bloggers are climate sceptics and their followers are not merely sceptical but violently antagonistic. A recent federal court case in the USA led to disclosures that put the present CRU emails into context. The contrarian campaign appears to have known all along that they did not have a valid argument and that’s why the major companies pulled out in 2002:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/24/science/earth/24deny.html?_r=1&hpw
As an old fashioned “one nation” conservative, I would love to believe that David Cameron represents the future of Conservatism. But, observing the loony tunes behind him, it’s a big ask.
Comment by L Porter on November 25, 2009 at 11:42 am
I’m unsure if this is just a way of dealing with a genuine crisis overseas that will impact on us here, but regardless, I would have thought a conservative response to MMGW (assuming it exists) would be to first cut down on the ammount we are dependent upon international trade (including tourism) and instead support localised trade (by import and export tariffs if necessary). That would be both “conservative” and “green” without betraying the essence of either.
Of course, my idea of “conservatism” doesnt draw from the Thatcherite worship of monetarism, but draws instead on….older references, where localism and organic community are valued over globalism.
Comment by Conservative Voter on November 25, 2009 at 1:52 pm
I can’t imagine that Dave actually believes in the rapidly-being-discredited global warming junk science. The problem is, I have to take him at his word. He may think he’s increasing Tory votes by this approach, but he’s certainly losing mine. What’s the UKIP policy on Copenhagen?
Comment by Michael Paskauskas on November 25, 2009 at 3:02 pm
I may vote conservative when the day comes but have grave reservations about various policies,one being your position on ‘climate change’.Several years ago I stopped accepting that information on this issue provided by the mainstream media,politicians and agenda driven activists is neccessarily remotely accurate.Basing national policy on ’science’ generated by computer modeling
which can’t even replicate the known past is lazy and irresponsible.Many of us out here research on the internet.Try climateaudit.com for one.
Comment by Mark Demmen on November 25, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Sorry, but in what sense are you a conservative? Is your script written by the Guardianistas? How about representing us for a change?
Comment by Denny on November 25, 2009 at 5:43 pm
I was going to vote Conservatives but i’ won’t. Why is this totally ignorant psedo marxist spouting Mr Mitchell in the Conservative party? Has the party been taken over by the people like him?
There is actually no point arguing the article as every thought in it points to total ignorance and lack of knowledge, this is very sad.
Comment by Chris on November 25, 2009 at 7:33 pm
So the Conservative party are still following phonies at the CRU who have corrupted science.
David Cameron is just another phony.
Comment by Chris D on November 26, 2009 at 1:54 pm
I read this article in conjunction with the Shadow Housing minister’s very threatening attitude to “modifying 20 million homes” in order to combat mythical climate change. Let me say right now that no-one is going to force me to destroy the heritage characteristics of my period property, complete with original wooden windows, doors and old-stone facings simply because they “believe” that my home is a threat to the nation’s carbon footprint. This whole climate thing is becoming an absolute farce and I, like most of you here, am sick to death of it. I am a former science worker, I’m not stupid and can see the facts easily amongst the dross. There’s no climate threat….oh yes….and upvc DG windows aren’t “green”!
Comment by Canada Guy on November 26, 2009 at 4:36 pm
The US and China have finally announced real numbers for their targets to reduce carbon emissions. Unfortunately these numbers, especially from the US, are far too weak. We need a strong agreement at Copenhagen, but this won’t get us there. In many ways, a weak agreement at Copenhagen could be even worse than no agreement, as it would lock in targets too small to make a significant difference.
http://www.selfdestructivebastards.com/2009/11/emissions-targets.html
Comment by Man in a Shed on November 27, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Mr Mitchell there are very real doubts about the scientific base for AGW. It is insane to blow large amounts of money on carbon reduction even AGW were true since new technology is the most effective route.
It really is time to get some independent scientific advice and find a way out of this Eco-Luddite triangulation corner we have painted ourselves into.
Comment by Ian Ward on November 27, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I can believe the globe is warming – but why? is the question. I do not believe its caused totally by mankind and CO2 so why is our Goverment taxing cars and planes and ignoring other more serious greenhouse gases like methane? I don’t believe ANYBODY is serious about tackling the problem (if it is one). Its just another means of extracting money from we taxpayers – So David Cameron take note, the British public will not accept spin, smoke and mirrors about global warming.
Comment by Kieran Enright on November 30, 2009 at 12:35 am
I really cannot believe this. Phil Jones and his colleagues have been caught red-handed by their own e-mails, discussing with Michael Mann about how to commit crimes against the Freedom of Information Act, with REM notes in their own programming code condemning their own database and expressing utter bewilderment on how that data had been changed, admitting that raw data files have been destroyed, and clearly showing the way effective peer review had been made impossible to anyone who might disagree with their conclusions – and Andrew Mitchell and David Cameron are STILL talking as though Man Made Global Warming is proven beyond a shadow of doubt!
Have they heard, yet, that the Queen’s name is Elizabeth, not Victoria?
Comment by Stephen Pearson on December 1, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Has anybody considered whether we deserve to live through Global Warming anyway! As a species maybe this is as good as it gets for us war like and hypocritical beings! AND No, I am not being negative, personally I think its positive for us to slide away into the abyss and give a species more deserving a go at getting things right. Life without balance of environment, perspective of vision etc has no true meaning and is subsequently just time per se which is inherently only a matter of perspective. It all came to me while sitting on the loo after a damn good curry.
Comment by David Lewis on December 1, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Andrew, you are dafter than Ed Miliband on this issue. For heaven’s sake listen to the people and keep Tory supporters onside.
Comment by realist on December 8, 2009 at 5:06 pm
ClimateGate should be a wakeup call that you have been lied to by your “advisers”.
Time for the Tories to expose the climate change propaganda and put an end to the insanity
Either find out what the _actual_ cause is or just admit it’s natural