Blair an unreasonable sacrifice

No need for personal sacrifice claims Blair, science will save us all.

Mr Blair has defended his love of long haul flights telling Sky News [http://uk.news.yahoo.com/08012007/140/blair-flies-holiday-climate-row.html] that there was no need to give up long haul flights and that fighting climate change need not require personal sacrifice.

Mr Blair has recently returned from a winter holiday in Florida. During his decade in office Tony Blair has visited Barbados at least four times while on holiday, and has made visits to France, Italy and Egypt amongst other destinations.

Mr Blair claimed an 'egalitarian defense' of his actions and warned against "putting people off the green agenda by saying you must not have a good time anymore". Adding, "It's like telling people you shouldn't drive anywhere". Blair said: "Britain is 2% of the world's emissions. We shut down all of Britain's emissions tomorrow - the growth in China will make up the difference within two years.

"So we've got to be realistic about how much obligation we've got to put on ourselves.

"The danger, for example, if you say to people 'Right, in Britain, you know, you're not going to have any more cheap air travel', everybody else is going to be having it.

"So you've got to do this together and you've got to do it in a way that doesn't end up actually putting people off the green agenda by saying you must not have a good time anymore and can't consume.

"The truth is all the evidence is that if you use the science and technology constructively, your economy can grow, people can have a good time but, do so more responsibly.

"But we are not going to do anything that will harm the domestic or global economy."

A spokesman for Blair later defended his comments claiming that they had to be viewed in the broad context of the government's environmental strategy that includes support for more efficient aircraft, carbon trading and bio-fuels. Blair's reliance on science has been criticised however, with a spokesperson for Greenpeace commenting that "Tony Blair is crossing his fingers and hoping someone will invent aeroplanes that don't cause climate change.

"But that's like holding out for cigarettes that don't cause cancer."

Others have stated their disappointment at Blair's refusal to lead by example. While Friends of the Earth (FoE) noted that carbon dioxide from aviation is the fastest growing source in the UK today. Mike Childs, of FoE, added: "It's disappointing that Tony Blair is refusing to set an example on tackling climate change, but it is even more disappointing that his government is failing to take decisive action to cut UK emissions."

Blair's comments differ from those made by the climate change minister Ian Pearson that led to a spat between the Blair government and Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary. The minister had described O'Leary as "the irresponsible face of capitalism" adding that Mr O'Leary was "completely off the wall". O'Leary called Mr Pearson "foolish and ill-informed", saying that he "hasn't a clue what he's talking about".

Could it be that Mr Blair's comments are meant to reassure the airline industry that everything will be OK?

Sadly, Mr Blair's comments are meaningless and without worth. Quite simply, the logic and the figures don't add up. Even if Britain directly produces 2% of the worlds C02 emissions, we, as a nation, are responsible for far more through imports of goods and services from abroad. Secondly, while other countries may refuse to cut their emissions it does not mean that we should not cut our emissions. I would rather be a lemming left at the top of the cliff, then one floundering in the waves below.

We, as individuals, have a moral obligation to behave in such a way as is good for society and the environment, such an obligation is clearly not one that can be left in the hands of politicians alone. And while science may be able assist in reducing the individual carbon foot print, Blair's reliance on science alone is misleading and very damaging for the long term fight against climate change.


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