More than warm words needed to tackle climate change

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 20th Apr 2006

Warm words and pretty pictures are not enough to tackle global warming

As David Cameron visits Norway to highlight the damage caused by climate change, the Liberal Democrats have exposed the Tories shabby environmental record. The Tories weak policies and contradictory actions include:

· Tories attempting to water down environmental legislation.

· A Conservative MEP criticising her own party's environmental policy review.

· Friends of the Earth criticising the Conservatives voting record.

· Tory MPs failing to sign EDMs on climate change.

· David Cameron speaking in support of more road building.

· A former Tory Energy Minister has stated he believes the Tories will retain a pro-nuclear energy policy.

Commenting on the evidence, Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Chris Huhne MP, said:

"Warm words and pretty pictures are not enough to tackle global warming. The Tories have not come up with a single hard-edged proposal to deliver the CO2 emissions cuts that are needed. Until they do, they have zero credibility on green issues.

"David Cameron must state clearly that he is prepared to raise fuel duty in line with inflation, that he is prepared to restructure vehicle excise duty far more radically to discourage gas guzzlers, and that he will now vote in favour of raising the climate change levy in line with inflation.

"These are all tests which must be seen against the appalling track record of the Conservatives on environmental issues. Their voting record was assessed by Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace as not just the worst of all the British political parties but the worst of any party in the entire European Union.

"Cameron himself has voted against the climate change levy, and has publicly backed more road-building. If his change of heart is real, it is welcome. But he cannot keep getting away with global posturing without being held to hard choices and action."