What’s in store for green with the new UK coalition government?

//What’s in store for green with the new UK coalition government?

What’s in store for green with the new UK coalition government?

We have a new coalition government in the UK – is this a new chance for more environmentally friendly policies? Well, here are some of the clues so far:

– The new UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary is Chris Huhne (pictured, left) who has said publicly said he is against any investment in nuclear power

– the coalition is committed to radical ‘decarbonisation’ of Britain’s energy supplies

– The roll out of smart meters and feed in tariffs to reward people who produce green energy has been prioritised

– The planned third runway at Heathrow has been scrapped

– Airflights (rather than passengers) are to be taxed to stamp out the airlines current practice of flying empty planes in order to keep landing slots

– Plans are afoot for a ‘green’ bank to invest in low carbon projects

– New transport minister (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport )  Norman Baker MP hates using the car and rarely flies – he holidays by train!

– Prime Minister David Cameron MP has promised that central government would cut its carbon emissions by a tenth over the next twelve months – and that he wanted his to be “the greenest government ever”.

BUT

–  a ‘rigged’ carbon trading market may favour nuclear power

– The £6 billion of annual cuts the coalition has promised may have a dramatic negative effect on policies

–  and the new Secretary of State for Transport  Phil Hammond MP has said he wants to end the war on motrorists and suggested all new road building is privatised (although is that such a bad thing? I quite like the idea of pay as you go toll roads)

See http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/geoffreylean/100039888/cameron-tells-the-departmental-dinosaurs-to-get-up-to-date-on-energy-and-climate-change/

By |2016-11-01T15:05:52+00:00May 16th, 2010|AGF Blog|