Johnson’s environment manifesto shows he has no serious understanding of environment
Boris Johnson's environment manifesto leave him in the discredited and small group of politicians who refuse even to support the Kyoto Treaty on climate change. The other principal members of the discredited club are George W Bush and the now defeated prime minister of Australia John Howard.
The fact that Boris Johnson even now will not support Kyoto means he has no serious credentials on the environment whatever. Londoners know in Boris Johnson they are looking at a candidate who would be one of the most backward in the world on the environment.
Ken Livingstone said:
"Boris Johnson's environment manifesto shows how completely out of touch he is with the key issues of the twenty first century. London is now one of the leading cities in the world on tackling climate change, yet Boris Johnson is one of the few politicians to side with George W. Bush in opposing even the Kyoto Treaty on climate change.
"In line with this his manifesto lacks any credible policies to seriously cut carbon emissions or improve London's environment.
"Sixty-one per cent of Londoners support a £25 CO2
charge on gas guzzling cars like some so-called ‘Chelsea Tractors, high powered
sports cars and luxury executive vehicles, yet Boris Johnson is not willing to
alienate wealthy, Tory voters and prepared to oppose even the overwhelming view
of Londoners in support of environmentally damaging policies."
Key failings on Boris Johnson's environment policy include:
Failure to support the Kyoto Treaty on climate change. Boris Johnson is one of the few remaining politicians to back George W. Bush in opposing the Kyoto Treaty.
Has no policies for encouraging people to move to less polluting cars. Johnson opposes the £25 CO2 charge on gas-guzzling cars in the central London congestion zone, a policy which is supported by 61% of Londoners. He says he will reduce emissions by cutting congestion, but doesn't offer any credible policies for how this will be achieved.
Elsewhere in the manifesto Johnson says he supports the "polluter pays" principle. Then why doesn't he support the same principle when applied to high polluting cars like some Chelsea Tractors, high-powered sports cars and luxury executive cars?