Climate Change Bill [HL]

Following on from that, I become quite concerned that we are rather over-optimistic about what this Bill will achieve. Of itself, all it does is put in place an administrative structure which will produce targets and budgets and, under regulations, can produce market mechanisms. The real changes that must take place probably have nothing to do with that. There will be immense technological changes. These will depend on regulations in an entirely different field. They will depend on financial incentives and a clear determination on the part of the Government that technology has to change. The whole energy industry has to change. We cannot use fossil fuels. That is a huge revolution in thinking, but if we do not have that, what we are writing into the Bill, and what the Government have already written into it, will be completely worthless. This is part of the Minister’s reluctance. He has government responsibility in this field but not in the whole of that broad sweep of financial instruments and direct policy initiatives that will be required. I sympathise enormously with his position. The Minister will say that, of course, he speaks for the Government and that he will make absolutely sure. I am sure that the Government are already aware of this issue. We need to keep it at the back of our minds. Otherwise, we will fail.