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SOUTHPORT MEP CALLS FOR POPULATION CONTROL
AN outspoken Southport MEP is
calling for political parties to put the issue of population on
their agendas. Chris Davies says that measures to reduce
climate change will be a complete waste of time unless rapid world
population growth is halted.
The Liberal Democrat claims that the single most important step that
young couples in Britain can take to combat global warming is to
have no more than 1 child. He said:- "There were 2.7
billion people in the world when I was born in 1954. Since then that
number has more than doubled. If I make it to the age of 80 the
population will have reached 8 billion and will still be growing
rapidly. While every individual should be cherished, mankind's
reproduction is akin to the replication of a virus. We are swamping
the planet and devouring its resources."
A recent United Nations report warned that population numbers are
contributing to massive environmental degradation, with an estimated
1.8 billion people expected to be suffering an absolute shortage of
water within less than 20 years.
But Chris Davies
argues that the consumption of people in wealthy countries like
Britain has a huge impact on the world. "Each addition
to the UK population will release 744 tonnes of carbon dioxide
during their lifetime, the equivalent of 620 return flights from
Manchester to New York," he said.
The MEP claims that while population growth is driven by natural
emotions it is often also linked to poverty, the powerlessness of
women, and the promotion of religious views that prohibits
contraception. He says that provision of contraception and family
planning advice is a hugely worthwhile investment. He
said:- "I cannot support Chinese-like ideas of compulsion to
restrict family sizes. But political parties can no longer afford to
avoid debate about population policy and the need to explore
measures that might encourage smaller families. I spend most
of my time in the European Parliament working on legislation to
combat climate change, but if we do not curb our planet's growing
numbers there is no chance of us making a difference."
Editors Point:- I wonder though if
he has thought about the consequences of less children in the
future. One of which will be that there won't be enough young
workers to pay the pensions of all the people who become old and had
only 1 child to pay for the 2 adults that gave birth to them?
And the other, well with only 1 child
per family the population will fall, his intended target, lower
population lower emissions, but at the moment in the UK we have a
low population growth which is already predicted to have
consequences to the economy in the future, so if it goes lower how
will that affect the economy? After all our economy is driven
by consumerism, but with no consumers who will buy anything?
Also who would look after the old as their would be to many older
people to look after for the young to run the country and look after
the old?
Your views please!
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European
Parliament passes first piece of climate change legislation
THE European Parliament has
adopted its 1st piece of climate change legislation. The Parliament
has voted for a new directive to include aircraft emissions into the
Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). The Emission Trading Scheme (ETS)
limits the amount of carbon dioxide a company can emit each year and
allocates a number of permits to operators. The total number of
permits set a limit on the overall emission from participants in the
scheme. While some permits are allocated to operators free of
charge, others are traded freely (auctioned) to allow emission
reductions to be made where they are most cost-effective.
Speaking from Strasbourg Local Labour Euro MP, Arlene McCarthy
said:- "Wherever I go at the moment the number 1 topic on the
list of questions I am asked is Climate Change. It is probably the
biggest challenge of our time. Climate Change can not be
tackled by the UK alone that is why we need to make laws at a
European level.
Europe is leading the way in setting emission targets and getting
other countries on board. As Labour Euro MPs we voted to
include business jets in the scheme but unfortunately the Parliament
as a whole voted to exclude them. We all have a responsibility
to take action on climate change now. The aviation industry must
also take responsibility for its CO2 emissions for the sake of our
future generations.”
FSB
launches British Small Business Champions 2008
THE Federation of Small
Businesses (FSB) launches British Small Business Champions 2008 (BSBC)
to coincide with Enterprise Week. BSBC is the only national awards
scheme solely for small businesses. Entries are invited from
thriving businesses that are well run and highly regarded by staff
and customers. Businesses have to have been trading for at least 5
years at the time of entering and employ no more than 50 staff.
Across the UK, 6 Area Champions will be chosen and these 6
businesses will go forward to the national final. 1 business will be
chosen as the National Champion and scoop the top prize of £10,000.
For BSBC 2008 there are 2 additional categories: Young Entrepreneur
and Most Promising New Business, both sponsored by AIMS Accountants.
These have been chosen as a way for the FSB to show support for the
new generation of up-and-coming businesses. Entries in both will go
straight to national judging. BSBC was launched by the
Federation of Small Businesses in 2002. It is now firmly established
as the most prestigious and highly valued of business awards for the
small business sector. 2007 Area winners and runners-up in this
region included Wirral firm 'Ice Communciations Ltd' Knutsford firm 'Holland Damp Proofing'
and Wigan firm 'Advanced
Food Safety'.
The prizes for BSBC 2008, which is free to enter and not exclusive
to FSB members, are: £1,000 each to the Area Champions, the Young
Entrepreneur and the Most Promising New Business, to be spent in the
way winners wish as long as it benefits their business. The National
Champion's prize includes a cash award of £10,000, also to be spent
in a way that benefits their business.
To request an entry form and for more information about BSBC 2008
please contact Judith Francis on 020 7592 8120 or by
email. Please state which
award you are applying for and give your business address. |
