Key Government minister comes to CAFOD for climate debate
Thursday 1 December saw Chris Huhne, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change visit CAFOD’s headquarters in London. Prior to heading off to Durban, South Africa for the UN’s climate talks, Stop Climate Chaos invited Mr Huhne to take part in an online debate on Thursday evening at Romero House.
The secretary of state is the most senior UK Government minister appearing at the talks.
CAFOD supporters alongside other organisations, their supporters and members of the public posed questions on issues such as: the chances of a global climate change deal, climate finance for developing countries, Tar Sands and George Osborne’s Autumn statement.
Find out more about CAFOD's demands at the climate talks>>
In his opening statement, Mr Huhne stated, “Some of the science that’s coming out is becoming more alarming and more clear on global warming. We have to deal with this problem urgently. We have to get global carbon emissions down by 2020 – that means even if we have a really good run at ratifying the treaty results, we have to get things agreed by 2015. We want a legally binding agreement : no global problem up until now has been resolved satisfactorily without a legally binding agreement.”
The debate was chaired by Guardian environmental journalist Damian Carrington, who was joined at CAFOD HQ by Hannah Stoddart, head of Oxfam’s economic justice policy team. Tasneem Essop, head of WWF’s Durban delegation took part from Durban.
Watch the video on this page
