"If we were to have a UKIP government elected in [the general election] May [2015], one of the first things we'd do would be to repeal the Climate Change Act," Roger Helmer, UKIP energy spokesman and Member of the European parliament for the East Midlands, told The Independent.
The Climate Change Act, which was adopted in 2008, aims to reduce carbon emissions at least by 80 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels.
Helmer also said that scientists' warnings about the catastrophic consequences of current temperature rise are excessive, and that "there are a great number of scientists who actually think that the sensitivity figures that the IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] is using – of 3 degrees for a doubling of CO2 – is grossly exaggerated".
In its report "Climate Change 2014" in November, the IPCC made it clear the global problem of climate change had not been alleviated and, instead, was becoming more acute. The IPCC warned that the continued emission of greenhouse gases would have a severe impact and cause profound climate change.
Helmer also spoke out in favor of fracking, as it could become a fertile source of oil and gas for the country.
"The truth is we really don't know how much is there – the general feeling is that estimates we've seen so far are on the low side. But of course we don't know until we start drilling, so let's start drilling," Helmer said, as quoted by The Independent.
Britain has experienced a number of protests over plans by government and industry to increase the exploration for and extraction of shale gas (fracking), as it is believed to cause serious harm to the environment and human health. In December, more than 200 UK anti-fracking groups addressed Prime Minister David Cameron in a letter calling for a ban on fracking until a methodical, scientific and impartial investigation of its effect on people's health could be carried out.
UKIP is a right-wing party in Britain that has been gaining ground recently both domestically and in the European Parliament. In May it won the European elections for the first time in its history. UKIP popularity and the number of the party's followers has been increasing recently, bringing it closer to the major British parties ahead of the general election 2015 that will take place in May.
