Extra article. w/c 14^th December 2009. Stephen Ladyman MP

By the time this article is published the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen will be drawing to an end. The decisions made at that conference may determine the quality of life for our children and their children and for many generations to come.

Climate change is happening, it is real, and it is man made. Sceptics may try to muddy the waters and there maybe different estimates of the speed at which it is happening and the measures we need to take to bring it under control but the evidence that it is already happening, and that it is caused by human activity, is overwhelming.

If the Copenhagen Conference can produce an enforceable package of measures that will ensure the nations of the world drastically reduce their carbon emissions and also help the poorest nations prepare for the impact of climate change then it might be seen by future historians as one of the most important meetings of its type ever held. If it fails to provide such an agreement it will be an opportunity lost but it won’t have been lost as a result of any failing by the UK Government since the Prime Minister and his ministers have been tireless in their efforts to broker a deal.

Here at home, we have already shown the way with legislation now in place to commit our Government, and any future UK Government, to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. Achieving that target won’t be easy, we will all have to change things in our lives and the UK will need to invest heavily in clean energy, including nuclear power, in energy conservation and in clean transport.

But there will be benefits, on top of the key benefit of protecting the future of the planet.  There will be industrial opportunities for Britain as the world needs to develop new ‘green’ technologies and we are well placed to drive that work forward. We can also see some of the employment benefits of ‘green’ investment locally with the Thanet Array offshore windfarm being built from Port Ramsgate and with the even bigger London Array to follow.

Copenhagen could be make or break time for our climate and our future. Let us hope the deal the world leaders strike is a good one but, whatever sort of deal is done, even more hard work lies ahead of us.