As the Lima climate talks enter their second week, today MPs gather for the second reading of a rather important bill.

As is usual, it’s written as if to lull one into a lengthy stupor. But the contents of the infrastructure bill should snap you wide awake. It raises some awkward questions.

Take air pollution – now the world’s chief killer. In 2012, it was the source of about 7 million premature deaths. Every year in the world’s most advanced economies it costs about US$3.5 trillion in lives lost and ill health.

In our own backyard, it’s reached illegal highs – and takes the lives of 29,000 people every year. Today, a new report from the environmental audit committee (of which I’m a member) dubs air pollution “a public health imperative”, and concludes that – to save lives – “urgent change is needed”.

But the infrastructure bill doesn’t mention clean air targets.

Instead, it emphasises big road investment – to the tune, boasts our government, of a headline-baiting £15bn and 1,300 miles in new lanes. That £15bn would buy roughly 30 state-of-the-art hospitals. Which could come in handy, given all the air pollution.

Labour was outraged. Not from any climate or health concern – it simply sulked that the government was all talk, and chastised it for failing to invest sooner – not just for roads but for airport expansion too.

Road traffic is the primary contributor to air pollution in most parts of the UK. And new roads don’t cut congestion. Even government studies show that. They simply lead to more jams, exacerbate emissions and erode our countryside.

Whereas, earlier this month, Department for Transport figures showed local sustainable transport schemes returned £5 for every £1 spent. So our £15bn would be far better used repairing existing roads and on initiatives to boost public transport, walking and cycling.

Our main parties have their priorities backwards. And nowhere is that clearer than in the infrastructure bill. Which is why today I’ve tabled a reasoned amendment to it.

This year, David Cameron dubbed climate change one of “the greatest threats” we faced. Just yesterday Ed Miliband proclaimed tackling climate change was “the most important thing” he could do in politics.

But the infrastructure bill doesn’t mention climate change.

And, aside from some tinkering around the details, the bill’s big climate picture – or lack of – is backed by all main parties.

It includes a new duty to maximise the recovery of oil and gas – just when we’re duty-bound to reduce it. Science is clear on that: to avoid catastrophic climate change, about 80% of our existing fossil fuel reserves must stay good and unburned.

But the government’s on a shale crusade. And the infrastructure bill paves the way for a whole new fossil fuel industry.

And what fracking firms want, they get. The bill awards them sweeping new powers to run pipelines under private land – without the consent of owners. It’s opposed by 75% of us, but what does public opinion matter?

Meanwhile, the UK’s renewables (we’ve some of the best in Europe) struggle to get a word in edgeways.

The bill rightly talks a lot about jobs creation – the Department of Energy and Climate Change predicts fracking could generate up to 32,000 of them.

Except – despite the government’s cuts – the renewables industry already supports more than 100,000 jobs. And a nationwide energy efficiency programme could create an additional 108,000 jobs every year between 2020 and 2030.

To be fair, the bill does give a nod to community energy ownership rights – a small step in the right direction. But we should be taking giant leaps. Fracking has a limited lifespan – the writing’s already on the wall. We’d receive a far richer return on our billions, economically and in energy security, by going all out for homegrown renewables and efficiency.

It would create jobs, slash emissions and cut fuel bills.

And fuel poverty is a grossly neglected national scandal. Cold homes cost lives – and cost our NHS about £1.3bn every year.

The UK has some of Europe’s least energy-efficient housing – we know energy efficiency should be our number one infrastructure priority. It’s an issue hundreds of my own constituents have lobbied me on. But the infrastructure bill doesn’t mention energy efficiency.

Our energy policies are plagued by contradiction; substance too often sidelined for political posturing. As it stands, this bill is little different. But we have a chance to change that.

It boils down to a simple choice. We’re either willing to legislate for the common good or we’re not.

This parliament has a historic responsibility. We can work together to make this bill one our children will thank us for. Or we can leave them a world that’s beyond their control.

Miliband is quite right – this is the most important thing we can do in politics.