Current campaigns
Defra receives many letters and campaign postcards on a wide range of issues that concern both organisations and individuals. These are some of the recent responses
World Development Movement’s Missing Campaign
The government received a campaign from the World Development Movement for aviation and shipping emissions to be included in the Climate Change Bill.
The Bill provides that emissions from international aviation and shipping could be included in the UK’s carbon budget once international agreement is reached on how to attribute these emissions to individual countries – currently there is no such agreement. The issues here are complex.
Significant progress was achieved last December when EU environment Ministers reached agreement to include these emissions in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) from 2012 (subject to European Parliament agreement expected later this year) . This will cap emissions from the aviation sector, so that any increase in emissions must be fully offset by requiring airlines to pay for the equivalent emissions reductions from elsewhere. The Government welcomed the progress that this agreement makes towards the implementation of a scheme which will enable the aviation sector to take responsibility for its carbon emissions in the most effective way. Once the EU ETS rules have been finalised we will also ask the Committee for its independent advice on whether there is a methodology to include these emissions in our targets, and the impacts of doing so.
The Government has also decided to accept the main thrust of an amendment to the Bill, inserted by the House of Lords, that sets a deadline of five years to either include international aviation and shipping emissions in our targets or to report to both Houses on why this has not been done.
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/uk/legislation/
Animal Aid Zero Grazing Campaign
The Government received a campaign from Animal Aid about dairy cows kept in factory-farm conditions.
In the UK, animal welfare standards are higher than they have ever been. And they are among the highest in the world. 
The Animal Welfare Act 2006, protects the welfare of animals on-farm and makes it an offence to cause them suffering. By law, anyone responsible for an animal must take reasonable steps to make sure that its welfare needs are met. The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 also set out requirements to do with the general welfare, inspection, housing and feeding of farmed animals. These Regulations apply to cattle, whether they are housed or kept out in the open.
The Regulations do not ban the permanent housing of cattle. Normally, dairy cattle are housed in winter when weather conditions are unfit for them to go out and no grazing is available. The Government understands people’s concerns, but it is important to recognise that the biggest influence on the welfare of livestock is the attitude and degree of care taken by the stock-keeper – not the particular rearing system being used. This view is reflected in the research on various husbandry systems for different livestock species.
The Government is committed to taking action against anyone who fails to comply with the law.
www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/default.htm
Christian Aid Climate Change campaign
The Government received a campaign from Christian Aid asking for more urgent action to dramatically cut our carbon emissions, which are contributing to global warming
The Government agrees that climate change is the toughest development challenge that we face. And the Department for International Development’s White Paper, “Making Governance Work for the Poor”, sees it as the biggest long-term threat to reducing poverty.
The Government is working to implement the White Paper commitments on three main fronts:
- working for a global agreement on emissions targets, including help for developing countries to prepare for international negotiations;
- helping developing countries to adopt clean energy technologies; and,
- helping developing countries to adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The Chancellor announced in the Budget an £800m International Environmental Transformation Fund to reduce poverty through environmental management and help developing countries respond to climate change. The Fund will help us to meet our development and climate change goals.
Adapting to climate change is vital, but mitigating the effects of CO2 emissions is equally important. A global consensus is building around the need to set long-term goals towards significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 in order to avoid dangerous climate change. The target of at least a 60% reduction in CO2, which is set out in our domestic Climate Change Bill, reflects the March 2007 Spring European Council conclusions (the Council called for developed countries to reduce their emissions by 60-80% by 2050). It also reflects the Stern review, which argued that developed countries need to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by some 60-80% by 2050.
Our understanding of climate science and economics has developed a great deal since the 60% target was set. Based on the latest evidence, and taken as part of an broader international agreement, the Prime Minister has said that developed countries may have to reduce their emissions by up to 80%. It is for these reasons that we need a thorough, expert and independent analysis of the issues involved. And it is why the Committee on Climate Change – which we are establishing as an independent, expert, statutory body to advise the UK Government and Devolved Administrations on the pathway to the 2050 target – will be asked to look carefully at all the evidence. The Committee will also be asked to advise on whether our own domestic target should be tightened up to 80%.
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climatechange/index.htm
Page last modified: 14 July 2008
Page published: 23 June 2008