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Make London green capital of world says Ken
By Ross Lydall, Evening Standard Last updated at 10:57am on 27.02.07
Ken Livingstone today calls for tough action to save the planet and make London the greenest city on earth.
He aims to cut the capital's carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2025 - twice as fast as government targets - through:
* An immediate increase in the cost of air travel to reflect its environmental damage.
* Neighbourhood power stations to prevent energy waste during transfer from the National Grid.
* Use of solar and wind power, and possibly wave power from the Thames.
* Getting Londoners to ditch their cars and travel to work by bike or public transport.
Today's climate change action plan was welcomed but critics warned it would amount to little without government backing.
Mike Tuffrey, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly, said: "Without a radical change of heart from the Labour government this action plan is barely worth the paper it's written on."
Mr Livingstone said his initiatives were aimed at tackling "the single biggest threat to the future development of human civilisation".
The Mayor said: "I hope for the sake of our children and grandchildren that we can still prevent catastrophic climate change, but to do so we have to act with great speed and decisiveness. The aim of this plan is to deliver decisive action in London with the urgency that is required.
"The simple message is this: to tackle climate change you do not have to reduce your quality of life, but you do have to change the way you live."
Reader views (27)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
Personally I agree with the climate issues involved its simply that Ken isn't the man for the job. His grandstanding dictatorial approach and taxation driven methodology simply creates distrust and dislike, the issue suffers as a result of his involvement. It's also a little difficult to believe a taxpayer funded man who flies more in a year than I can afford to do in a decade... keep it local not Mayoral - it's you that will deliver the diffference, not him.
- John Graham, London UK
Why does Ken insist on going for grand headline grabbing schemes, one of the major rubbish generators in London is created by the free newspaper war we are currently experiencing! Why are the dustbins in central london not divided into segments for recycling cans and bottles, papers and general waste? Simple and inexpensive, but not particularly headline grabbing so I doubt if Ken will consider it.
Also it is ironic or am I being cynical that the C Charge has not been extended into the Labour areas of Camden or Islington are these not centrally congested areas?
- Jd, London
It is offensive that he expects us all to be "greener" and pay through the nose when there simply is no alternative in place. The current London transport systems cannot cope now, so putting more people on it would only make it worse.
- Rm, London
Have any of the above watched 'The Inconveient Truth', they may change their opinions. The Americans are at last changing their view and the Chinese will follow as half their country will be under water in 30 years.
- Jon, Weybridge
Everytime Red Ken opens his mouth, large amounts of CO2 comes out.
So...
- P.Robinson, Northants
Biofuels from 3rd world Latin-American sources with questionable human-rights records? How many billion to fund the Olympic Games? How big a bill for taxi's/public transport in Mr L's department alone? Yet more hot air from the man in a 1200 quid Saville Row suit. Right on Ken – power to the people...
- Jim, :ondon
Whilst biodiesel is a short term alternative it only cuts CO2 emissions by around 60% which means we're still polluting the environment, we need a proper renewable energy source to power vehicles one which produces minimal amounts of CO2.
- Lloyd, London
The LibDem fella is right - it's a good headline, which might even get other cities thinking, but without Government backing it will come to nothing. Public transport has to switch to biofuels or hydrogen cells (after a low-carbon emitting way of manufacturing the massive amounts of hydrogen has been devised) and the last piece of the jigsaw has to be a modernised, efficient Underground. The Assembly can, however, encourage recycling at every turn and discourage new incineration plants — an inefficient, short-termist approach to waste management/energy production.
But, as a Londoner, I don't want to have to pay the price for a programme that the rest of the country isn't coerced into. I realise that most of it will never have our transport infrastructure, but let's sort out recycling and domestic energy-saving NOW.
- Jonny, London
Make all the taxis electric!
- John, London
Stop increasing the cost of public transport Ken and more people might be inclined to use it!
- Elle, WC1
How many greenhouse gases are going to be produced in getting London ready for the Ken and Tony egomania Olympics?
- Dereck, Eltham
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus and apparently Ken Livingstone is from Neptune. If he wants unfortunate travel-weary Londoners to use public transport, why does he allow the highest fares in the whole world?
- Marianne, SW France
I back Ken on this one, at least he's making a stand on climate change. Let's face it somebody has to - this issue is not going away, and it's not a problem any of us can afford to ignore. And while I agree that it will be hard for the report to make much of an impact without government backing, perhaps the plan will get ministers thinking. At the very least, let's hope it gets the public thinking about the actions they can take towards protecting London and the planet for future generations.
- Lucy, Surbiton, Surrey
Before persuing this idea Ken should make public transport affordable for those that have to pay their own fares. Those on benefits travel for free on the buses yet they are bloody expensive for those paying their own way. And if a few of you want to go a couple of tube stops a taxi is cheaper!
- Michael, London
A polite way to say - I would like to increase taxes! We have seen many examples in the past and I do not see this changing in the future. Best thing a Londoner should do is get rid of this guy and Labour!
- Zoran Kapor, Kent
What about simply making London, 'the best run capital' in the world?
- Gb, London, UK
Why don't we have all council vehicles and taxis using bio fuel. This would instantly cut emmissions.
- Jon, Weybridge
May I opine that Livingstone needs to convince the Chinese, Indians and the USA before blowing his discordant London horn?
- Ted, Shetland
Why don't we have all council vehicles and taxis using bio fuel? This would instantly cut emisions.
- Jon, Weybridge
This is absolute nonsense. Until the USA, China and India actually do something about pollution anything him or his disgraced Labour government do can be written of as stealth taxes.
- Michael Riley, London
As usual he trumps out the usual nonsense about us having to use public transport without providing any substance as to how this will be a more efficient and cheaper alternative to our cars. The environment is not the only issue.
- Nobby Clark, London, UK
A greener city will only be possible if we come up with some way of getting cars out of London and a working mass transit system in! Unless Ken has a secret master-plan he's just not telling us about I've no idea how we are going to achieve this frankly pie in the sky goal.
- Jon Kenny, Ealing
We will be the greenest city in 2025 because by then we will have all been wiped out by bird-flu!
- Tony, Fulham
Surely, the sole ambition for any responsible leader of the major city of an industrialised nation should be to create and sustain the most dynamic, successful economy in the world.
Any, other, self-selected targets such as "greenest city on earth" (who defines that, by the way?), are simply self-indulgent, grandstanding, for the cameras.
- Steve R, London, UK
This is just another ruse by Ken to start hitting Londoners in the pocket. Again.
It will come to nothing, will not save the planet and will just cause yet more pain to the long suffering London commuter by no doubt using this as a pretext to up the congestion charge and increase public transport costs.
Incidentally, this "cheap oil" for free bus travel for poor people - what kind of incentive is that to get off your backside and make yourself un-poor?
- Jk, London
I for one can't see London ever being Earth's greenest capital city. Yes there are problems with carbon emissions but to make all the changes suggested will take a lot of work and money to do. Will the government commit to this long term or will it just be another flash in the pan? I have no intention of handing over my cars keys in exchange for a bike anytime soon.
- Mike, Peckham
I think Ken should be applauded for this, we need to do something to cut carbon emissions otherwise we will end up in trouble in years to come. Thank goodness someone is taking this seriously now and I for one hope that by 2025 London will be the greenest capital.
- Antonia, West London
