Cameron was responding to a question made by Labour Party leader Ed Miliband at Prime Minister’s Question Time yesterday (26 February).

Miliband asked the Prime Minister to set out his views on man-made climate change.

Cameron replied: “I believe man-made climate change is one of the most serious threats that this country and this world faces. That is why we have the world’s first green investment bank here in Britain.

“That is why, unlike 13 wasted years of Labour, we are building the first nuclear power station for 30 years in our country. That is why we have cut carbon emissions emitted by the Government by 14% since we came to office.”

He also noted that the UK was on track to meet its renewable targets.
Miliband said that the Prime Minister’s remarks were “excellent” but named a number of his ministers who had questioned the need to tackle environmental change.

The Labour leader quoted the Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, as saying: “People get very emotional about this. People should just accept the climate’s been changing for centuries.”

Miliband quoted the energy minister Michael Fallon answering a question about climate change: “You are not going to draw me on that. I haven’t had time to get into the climate change debate.”

The Labour leader asked Cameron: “Is he happy to have climate-change deniers in his Government?”

Cameron said: “The most serious form of denial we have today in Britain’s politics is the reality deniers of the party opposite.

“What is their plan for long-term investment because that is what climate change requires? Long-term investment like high-speed rail, long-term investment like nuclear power, long-term investment like fixing our economy. That is what this government is doing. All he does is get up and deliver a lot of hot air.”

Elsewhere, the Prime Minister’s record on climate change has come under fire by some environmental groups. Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said: “Thousands of people mopping out their homes know it, the vast majority of scientists have proved it and mainstream public opinion agrees – extreme weather events will become more frequent as the climate changes. Yet David Cameron is hanging on to his Environment Secretary who is in denial about the impacts of global warming.

“It is time that David Cameron replaced Owen Paterson with someone who will be tough on flooding and tough on the causes of flooding.”

Avaaz campaign director Alex Wilks added: “The majority of Britons think that without action to slow it, climate change will pose a threat to their way of life, and scientists warn we need to cut carbon pollution in half by 2030. Cameron’s mandate is clear — it’s time to face down the deniers and commit to strong action, now.”

Liz Gyekye

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