Cameron's 'Greenest Government' Shown 'Red Card'

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David Cameron’s โ€œgreenest government everโ€ has been issued with a โ€œred cardโ€ because of serious failures in reducing air pollution, protecting biodiversity and preventingย flooding.

The report issued by Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) assigned three of the ten environmental areas covered in the report ย a โ€œred cardโ€ whilst failing to assign the top โ€˜green scorecardโ€™ in anyย area.

Responding to the report,ย Barry Gardiner, theย Labour Shadow Environment Minister, branded the present governmentโ€™s term in office a โ€œdisasterโ€ for the environment. He added:ย โ€œOur air is more polluted, more homes are at significant risk of flooding and more species are on the brink because of David Cameronโ€™s failure.โ€ย ย 

Joan Walley, theย EAC committee chairman, has called for parties to consider โ€˜credible environmental protection in their manifestosโ€ following David Cameronโ€™s failed promises to lead โ€˜the greenest government everโ€™ inย 2010.

The report found airborne pollutants had increased in 2013 and that the UK failed to meet targets for nitrogen dioxide emissions. Walley said:ย โ€œA whole generation of young people in our cities will potentially have their health impaired by pollution before the government meets air quality safety standards. That is notย acceptable.โ€

The second โ€˜red cardโ€™ was issued for failing to protect biodiversity with the report finding a significant decline in three out of four of the bird population, whilst invasive species were becoming moreย prevalent.

Consistentlyย Poor

The report cited the 2013 Wildlife and Countryside link assessment deeming the governments flood alleviation method as โ€œconsistently poorโ€, with 2.4 million properties at risk ofย flooding.

Whilst climate change and general emissions received an โ€˜amberโ€™ rating, the assessment stated that โ€œthe UK‘s carbon footprint has increased over the past two decades to be one of the largest in theย world.โ€

Ms Walley intends for the report to serve as a โ€œwake up callโ€™ for the government, with the cross-party committee requesting the set up of an independent โ€œOffice for Environmental Responsibilityโ€ to act as a watchdog for the governmentโ€™s commitment to the green agenda.ย ย 

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) however, defended their position. A government spokesperson said: โ€œWe completely disagree with the committee’s assessment – we are deeply committed to improving our naturalย environment.โ€

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