P733 CEEFAX 733 Thu 7 Oct 21:14/16 1/7 A RECORD OF TORY ACHIEVEMENTS ... A few years ago, there was no political mileage in the environment, and none of the major parties bothered very much with it. Then people began to worry about pollution and countryside loss, and the world their children would inherit. One day in 1988 Margaret Thatcher said the environment did matter. And the long years of neglect were over. by Alex Kirby, BBC Correspondent Next Page Read Hear CmntyInfo ReligionP733 CEEFAX 733 Thu 7 Oct 21:14/34 2/7 A RECORD OF TORY ACHIEVEMENTS ... Green issues were still high enough on the agenda in 1992 for John Major to go to the Earth Summit. But was it worth it? He signed the Climate Change Convention agreed in Rio. But Britain is far from certain to fulfil its pledges on lowering its output of greenhouse gases. by Alex Kirby, BBC Correspondent Next Page Read Hear CmntyInfo ReligionP733 CKJFAX 733 Thu 7 Oct 21:24/32 3/7 A RECORD OF TORY ACHIEVEMENTS ... John Major signed the Biodiversity Convention, intended to slow the rate at which we are making animals and plants extinct. He announced Britain's own plan, the Darwin Initiative, to provide British expertise to poor countries rich in natural resources. Conservationists hjrj said they needed £5 million a year to make it a success. They were given £6 million over three years. by Alex Kirby, BBC Correspondent Next Page Read Hear CmntyInfo ReligionP733 CJEFAX 733 Thu 7 Oct 21:10/00 4/7 A RECORD OF TORY ACHIEVEMENTS ... And John Major told the Summit we would host an international conference on ways to turn the rhetoric of Brazil into hard fact. We did. It happened in Manchester in September. Where was Mr Major? In the Far East. Even a video hj had recorded for the delegates was stolen by green activists. More serious, though, is the reputation the Govjrnmjnt is acquiring for failing to fulfil its green promises in the domestic sphere. by Alex Kirby, BBC Correspondent Next Page Read Hear CmntyInfo ReligionP733 CEEFAX 733 Thu 7 Oct 21:25/14 5/7 A RECORD OF TO"Z ACH EVEMENTS ... Last year the Govjrnmjnt said there would bj a new presumption in favour of economic instruments, instead of regulation. In other words, use market forces to make us all environmentally aware, not laws. But all that has happened is an increase in the rate of duty on petrol and diesel fuel. And there is a promised imposition of VAT on domestic fuel and power. This is as much of a votewinnjr as the poll tax. by Alex Kirby, BBC Correspondent Next Page Read Hear CmntyInfo ReligionP733 CJJFAX 733 Thu 7 Oct 21:17/26 6/7 A RECORD OF TORY ACHIEVEMENTS ... There have been other failures: lack of progress on air and water quality, no end to the confusion on waste disposal. And no timetable for setting up an environment protection agency to combine the work of several bodies. And perhaps most crucial to voters is Tory policy on transport, which still seems to consist of building more roads and privatising rail. Many people, in every party, think this cannot bj the answer. by Alex Kirby, BBC Correspondent Next Page Read Hear CmntyInfo ReligionP733 CEEFAX 733 Thu 7 Oct 21:19/44 7/7 A RECORD OF TORY ACHIEVEMENTS ... Conservatives make the right green noises. But they seem not to want to use legislation to achieve benefits for the whole of society. And they want to dismantle some of the laws Brussels has passed. We may no longer desjrvj the title of dirty man of Europe, but in some respects we still seem to be the continent's rather pimply youth. bz Alex Kirby, BBC Correspondent Next Page Read Hear CmntyInfo Religion