Tories must follow Quality of Life Commission's lead

The Conservative's Quality of Life Commission has made some ambitious proposals to curb climate change but the Tories must now put them into action, WWF said today.

WWF believes the Conservatives now face an 'acid test' of their green credentials on whether they adopt some of the more radical policies and if they push the government to strengthen the Climate Change Bill.

"On climate change the Quality of Life Commission has made a number of strong proposals which would help curb our rising carbon emissions in the UK," said Dr Keith Allott, Head of Climate Change at WWF-UK.

"However the acid test will be whether the Conservatives put these policies into action. Crucially the Tories must press the government to ensure that the Climate Change Bill - a groundbreaking piece of legislation - sets an example that the rest of the world can follow.

"That means an 80 per cent cut in emissions and the inclusion of emissions from aviation and shipping in the Bill."

WWF said it supported the Quality of Life Commission in underlining the importance of keeping the rise in average global temperatures below 2 degrees (above pre-industrial levels) in order to avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change. WWF also welcomes the group's proposals to change electricity tariff structures to reward people who conserve energy, rather than those who use more.