Action on climate change - new 10:10 campaign launches

10:10 is a new all party campaign supported by the Liberal Democrats and launched this month to reduce the UK's domestic greenhouse gas emissions by 10% during 2010. By signing up, any individual, school, business or organisation pledges to do their best to reduce their emissions by 10 per cent during the year 2010. It's easy to feel powerless in the face of a huge problem like climate change, but by uniting large numbers of people and institutions around immediate, effective and achievable action, 10:10 enables all of us to have the potential to make a meaningful difference.

Because while much of the talk is about targets for 2020 and 2050, scientists say it will not be possible to meet these targets without the right action now, and nationally Labour has been too ready to make commitments without the actions to back these up. World emissions must peak and begin to fall within the next few years, and that means we need significant reductions in the developed world as quickly as possible. The longer we leave it, the harder it will be - so a 10% cut in 2010 will provide a real impetus towards these goals.

By urging the British government to make a dramatic commitment to immediate emissions reductions, 10:10 aims to put Britain in an historic leadership role in the run up to the crucial climate summit. Those involved in negotiating the Copenhagen negotiations on climate change later in the year say the chances of getting developing countries to sign up will be increased if they see the rich world leading by example. Liberal Democrats are leading the way, making a personal commitment to the campaign and urging the government and local councils to make the same commitment.

10:10 for Individuals

Cutting 10% should be easy for most individuals and families, with the potential to bring real cash savings. It's at the level of lagging your loft, upgrading your boiler, or taking one less long-haul flight. 10:10 will walk people through the steps they need to take to make their 10% cut, with support from the Energy Savings Trust and others.

10:10 for Businesses and Organisations

For most organisations the first 10% is ambitious but achievable. It's typically about low or zero cost measures. Many businesses will see cash savings as a direct result of cutting their emissions. Local authorities and charities should also play their part, and many are already signing up with councils such as Eastleigh being founding members. A compelling campaign message and support from two of the UK's leading newspapers means that organisations can expect their participation to yield excellent publicity and the cash benefits of savings from fuel and other costs. Both the Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/10-10 and Sun http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/Green/2615970/Campaign-to-save-you-energy-and-cash-kicks-off-today.html newspapers support the initiative.

What about those who don't reach 10%?

A 10% reduction should be achievable for almost every business, organisation and individual. That said, any reductions in emissions are worthwhile, but we need to aim high. A real reduction in energy costs mean real competitive savings for businesses.

Is this just another greenwash campaign?

10:10 is not about hair-shirt environmentalism or forcing people to make major sacrifices for the sake of the planet. But it is about starting to make genuine changes so our children can look forward to a brighter future. That's why 10:10 does not recognize any form of offsetting as counting towards the 10% target. Becoming truly 'carbon neutral' is a long way off, and 10:10 is just the first step on the journey to this destination. It is also about saving money on expensive energy costs without sacrificing quality of life.

To find out more logon to www.1010uk.org or to calculate your own carbon footprint visit http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/calculator/start