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WWF presses for extra fuel duty increase



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Published Date: 11 June 2008
A SCOTTISH wildlife expert has implored the government to press on with a 2p hike in fuel duty claiming May's record breaking temperatures are evidence of climate change.
Dr Richard Dixon, director of WWF Scotland, said last month's temperatures, the highest on record for the month of May, were further evidence of climate change.

He said: "Despite warnings that 2008 might be a cooler year than those we've experienced in recent times, May has smashed another temperature record.

"While enjoying some unexpected sun here in Scotland, we must not forget that climate change is hitting other parts of the world much harder than us."

Dr Dixon, who is director of the charity in Scotland, also called for the planned rise in fuel duty not to be delayed.





The full article contains 134 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 11 June 2008 11:12 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Environment , Climate change
 
1

Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 11/06/2008 12:18:28
"...May's record breaking temperatures are evidence of climate change..."

What "record breaking temperatures"? I didn't notice anything different to any other May.

This man is a looney and should be laughed at, not taken seriously.
2

Saoghal Beag,

11/06/2008 12:26:57
a 2p increase in fuel on top of the rest might just be enough to tip the whole economy into a deep depression.
3

,

11/06/2008 12:43:13
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
4

,

11/06/2008 12:51:44
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
5

Biker,

Ayr 11/06/2008 13:00:09
This man is an idiot, ignore him.
6

Duncan in Edinburgh,

11/06/2008 13:15:06
#5 How long will you be ignoring him? Until the effects of fossil fuel burning on climate change have reached your own front door?

There are many ostriches around here, burying their heads and pretending there's nothing wrong with carrying on the way we are.
7

Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 11/06/2008 13:28:23
Sellotape:

Ahhh.... So that would explain the rediculous comments then!

Duncan:

There are also many people out there that are apparently prepared to accept everything they are told at face value without further recourse to logic or reason.

Come on! You've been winding us all up enough. Surely it's time to call a halt to it all and finally admit that in the face of all evidence, global warming is a myth?
8

Duncan in Edinburgh,

11/06/2008 13:52:48
#7 Is that what you seriously believe? Then I pity you, and hope you are in a minority.

There is massive agreement in mainstream climate science across the globe that human activity is affecting the process of climate change, and that we have a dwindling window of opportunity to mitigate the risk.

You and your ilk persist in promoting the inevitable fringe folk who promote an alternative point of view with the financial support of those who profit from the status quo.

You cannot pretend for much longer.
9

fresian,

dubai 11/06/2008 13:53:33
Duncan,

Like the taxman, ostriches can stick their bills up ther ar5e5 as well.
10

Klaus Dubois,

Ed. 11/06/2008 14:03:16
Whether you're a global warming believer or not, I can't see how tackling the issue with increased levels of taxation is going to fix anything in the long term.
If that really worked then why is the UK in the mess it's in after 10 years of taxing every avenue of modern life ?
11

Duncan in Edinburgh,

11/06/2008 14:09:19
#10 What mess do you think we are in? We have a lower tax burden than most of Europe, higher employment than most of the developed world, we're still experiencing strong economic growth, and we retain a health and welfare system which out-shines almost every one of our competitors. We remain an attractive destination for inward investment, a major financial centre, have a strong, high-ranking currency, a robust democracy and an extraordinarily rich culture.

Some people just like to talk things down, I think. We're actually in pretty good shape.
12

Biker,

Ayr 11/06/2008 15:54:49
Duncan. Where do you get the idea that we have the lowest tax burden in europe? For too long now I have been looking at my pay packet and wondering where the hell the tax goes. Added to that tax on almost everything else makes us one of the most taxed countries in the world.
From my pay packet I see removed is
Income tax
Car tax
Tax on petrol everytime I fill up
VAT
Tax on driving a company car
National insurance
I also see inheritance tax, Corporation Tax......
I could go on but whats the point? We as a nation sit back and accept the lies and spin which allows this to happen.
13

Duncan in Edinburgh,

11/06/2008 16:11:48
#12 Bizarre question, since I didn't say we had the lowest tax burden in Europe (that's actually the Slovak Republic) I said we had a lower tax burden than *most* of Europe.

The OECD publishes statistics on this regularly. Look at http://www.oecd.org/ and their stats portal for the full details. We have a lower tax burden than most of Europe. Total government tax and non-tax receipts are 41.5% of GDP in the UK this year, compared to the average for the Euro area at 45.3% (including France at 50.1%, Germany at 43.8% and Italy at 45.8%) and in the non-Euro area, Norway and Sweden both at 56.2%, Denmark at 54.4%.

Your argument is based on the fact that you perceive tax to be high. I am afraid that does not make taxes elsewhere any lower!
14

Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 11/06/2008 16:31:13
Duncan,

You are nothing but a spin doctor.

Come on. The joke's over now.
15

Marian,

11/06/2008 16:36:12
As usual the WWF is economical with the truth as it pursues its myopic agenda to put the world back to the Middle Ages. The weather statistics for May 2008 also show that the Southern half of England experienced record levels of rainfall as did Spain and some other parts of Europe. A prolonged period of High Pressure over Scandinavia throughout most of May 2008 meant that the flow of Westerly rain bearing clouds was interrupted over Scotland and Northern Europe and pushed South . None of this is unusual in any way whatsoever as there have been many precedents. With regard to “emissions” it is a fact that Global temperatures have been falling for the last 10 years and are set to fall further. All governments are spinning lies about global warming and an industry has grown around it creating many vested interests, including billions of revenue-raising "carbon taxes" for governments, not least our New Labour masters.
16

Duncan in Edinburgh,

11/06/2008 16:37:08
#14 No dear, I'm just a person who holds a different point of view to you, on most things.

I'm not spinning. The human impact on climate change is real. The relative tax burdens in Europe are real.

You who want to throw out anecdotal evidence to try to support your comfortable position are the one guilt of spinning.
17

Rod,

Kirkliston - European Village jewel (2016) 11/06/2008 16:48:25
#3 Sellotape : What interest does the World Wrestling Federation have in climate change?

WWW is surely Wee Willie Winkie is it not?

'Wee Willie Winkie,
runs throuugh the town.
Upstairs and downstairs,
in his night gown.
.....'
18

Goat Boy,

11/06/2008 21:04:40
Wot a controversial headline! I can see where they are coming from, but increasing the cost of fuel is only hitting the less well off. The western world and oil is like that bloke who won the lottery and spent it all in a couple of years. He had a great time doing it, but now it's all gone - bummer.

Oil was a lottery win for the human race, but we've spent it.

Hope you enjoyed it.
19

me150,

14/06/2008 19:41:36
#8

The scientific evidence is there to prove that it is a myth and there is none of any merit to prove otherwise.

The government and government sponsored scientist have seriousy been jumping on the bandwagon.

Our contribution to, so called, global warming is so small it is almost unmeasurable. Also the evidence, when the correct data is studied, proves that we are actually experiencing global cooling.
20

hertscot,

25/07/2008 11:42:10
#19, the correct data is the data that proves your point.

ALL, you are all being conned into talking about climate change (which is happening, and to which the human race contribute), which is being used as an excuse to raise taxes and punish the poor, but the fact is we are going to run out of oil and gas soon (from the easily exploited deposits) prices will sky rocket, and our gov, like all the rest need to be looking at ways of making sustainable energy viable and consistent, biofuels were a mistake they at least admitted, but wave, wind, solar, biomass (waste) and nuclear should have been on the agenda, and taken seriously, 20 years ago.

Fossil fuel electricity production should have been replaced gradually over this time, it wasn't for political and financial reasons, we could already be 20 - 30 % (yes, a guess!) there with the background knowledge and skills to deal with the problems relating to high fuel costs at the present time and in the future.

Then I could drive my petrol car for a little bit longer.

 

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