Environment

I have always taken a keen interest in green issues and environmental concerns impact every part of my work in parliament. 

I am the Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee which looks at how the policies of all government departments and how they contribute to environmental protection.  It also audits performance of departments against targets set by ministers.

The committee regularly publishes reports which can be found at:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmenvaud.htm

I also sat on the Climate Change Bill Committee which looked in detail at the Climate Change Bill and made recommendations to amend the Bill.  Amoung other measures, the Bill legally committed the UK to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 26% by 2020 and 80% by 2050 using 1990 levels as a baseline. This was the first such act in the world and ensured the UK is a world leader in tackling climate change.

I shall be attending the international climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December as representative of the Environmental Audit Committee.  If you have any thoughts on what is needed to prevent the worst effects of climate change please do let me know so that I can raise these during the negotiations.