According to the UK Green Party website the Green Party will try to achieve the following if they gain power at the 2010 general election:

CC010 The principal gases causing global warming are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ozone, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and similar compounds, and nitrous oxide (N2O). Kyoto Protocol controls apply to a basket of the following gases: CO2, (CH4), N2O, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). Most CFCs are already controlled by the Montreal Protocol on ozone-depleting substances. The most important source activity by far is the burning of fossil fuels. Industrialised countries are responsible as at 2001 for about 60% of the world’s ongoing CO2 emissions and historically for about 75% of the total.

CC011 The warming is partially counteracted by cooling caused by dust, both from industry and intermittently from major volcanic eruptions; and from sulphate pollution. Expanding forests also absorb significant amounts of CO2; currently it seems that mature forests are also absorbing CO2, though this effect cannot continue for long. Peat bogs are also a major store of carbon.

CC012 So far just over half of CO2 emissions have been consistently absorbed. In the 1990s there was considerable debate about where the absorbing was happening, as it is much harder to measure than emissions. A scientific agreement was eventually reached that boreal forests, tropical forests and oceans were all absorbing significantly. However there is some evidence that the natural CO2 sinks are declining in effectiveness; and some models suggest that many current sinks will become net emitters rather than absorbers over the coming decades.

CC013 Emissions by high-flying aircraft cause additional warming effects because of the different nature of the upper atmosphere. These emissions are also not covered by the Kyoto Protocol. The IPCC have produced a special report on the subject. GP policy to address this is in TR500ff.

I would be interested to hear both positive and negative views on UK Green Party’s policies in the comments below?