Greater London Authority Bill

moved Amendment No. 59: 59: Clause 38, page 40, line 12, leave out ““, so far as relating to Greater London,”” The noble Baroness said: My Lords, with these amendments we move to the climate change part of the Bill. In Committee, we moved some amendments to highlight the fact that one cannot regard London as an isolated place in relation to climate change. Everything that London emits affects not only the rest of this country but the rest of the world.The Minister accepted that the Bill is a precursor to the climate change Bill, and the committee considering that draft Bill, whose meeting I am missing at the moment, is discussing the same issues as it moves towards its report. The importance of getting the matter right in this Bill is not to be underestimated. I am particularly pleased that the Government have put their name to two of my amendments, which recognise the important role that London plays in setting an example and as an emitter. London consumes as much energy as countries such as Portugal or Greece and produces over 40 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. It is vital to recognise the role that London can play in mitigating climate change. This group of amendments is intended to remove the qualifications relating to Greater London and to widen the duties to recognise the national and international nature of emissions. Of my four amendments, the Government have put their name to two and added ““in the United Kingdom”” to two others, deleting ““so far as relating to Greater London””. In Committee, I pointed out that that wider perspective is already recognised in the Bill because sustainable development is considered in Section 35 of the GLA Act 1999 in the context of the United Kingdom and not only London. Government Amendments Nos. 61 and 64 take up that point by requiring the authority, when exercising its powers, and the Mayor, when making policies, to do so in such a way as to contribute to the mitigation of or adaptation to climate change in the United Kingdom. Of course, that makes sense because neither the Mayor nor the authority can exercise powers or make policies for outside the United Kingdom, although the influence of London as a major carbon emitter is recognised. I am grateful to the Government for supporting my amendments in this group, not only in practical terms, but also in a totemic way, as many countries will watch what we do in the climate change Bill, in this Bill and in other Bills. Not only will we be setting an example, but we will be pointing to a practical way forward. I beg to move.