Tackling the Climate Emergency - LibDem Policy Paper 139
Tackling the Climate Emergency - LibDem Policy Paper 139 was proposed by Duncan Brack. and accepted by the 2019 Autumn Conference.
DB
14 Mar 2020
Wera Hobhouse MP urges government to incentivise solar power
29 Feb 2024
Hereford Bypass? Yes Please!
Recently it was announced that funding for a bypass around the city of Hereford was being withdrawn, putting the future of the project in doubt. For me this was very disappointing news, as I strongly support building it. Now, you might reasonably ask why would a Green Liberal Democrat feel that way? More roads are bad, right? Well, although I once opposed it, I have become convinced that building this road is in the best interests of local people.
RO
14 Mar 2020
Green Taxation
The Role of Tax and Subsidy in Tackling the Climate Emergency The role of taxation, in particular, as a tool in dealing with the climate emergency has been deliberately overlooked by governments afraid of being punished at the ballot box for any extra taxes. I believe that the electorate is now sufficiently aware of the likely effects of climate change that there will be an acceptance of extra taxation as long as there is transparency in the destination of the extra taxation. The extra taxation must be destined for subsidies for home insulation and electric cars and other greenhouse gas saving measures, as well as for mitigation measures such as flood defences and research and development of renewable energies, energy storage and carbon capture and storage and hydrogen manufacture from non-carbon sources.
JH
14 Mar 2020
Why 2020 will be the best year yet for energy saving
Let me start 2020 with this bold prediction. During these next twelve months, we shall experience a complete step change in attitudes regarding the profligacy of energy usage. This will be true of politicians. It will be true for TV, radio and print media. It will be true for local opinion formers and influencers. And it will be particularly true of everyday people throughout the British isles.
AW
14 Mar 2020
The ‘electric desert’ of Wales - action needed on rapid recharge facilities Urgent action needed on EV recharging in Wales
The last couple of weeks have seen major announcements from UK Government on transport futures, that will have a huge impact on life in all parts of the UK. Nowhere will the effects be greater than here in Wales, writes Cllr William Powell.
WP
14 Mar 2020
Greenfest Newbury 5th September 2020
GreenFest puts Community at the Heart of Sustainability. GreenFest is coming back for a second consecutive year following the runaway success of the inaugural event in 2019, that saw around 2500 visitors descend on the picturesque, woodland, West Berkshire, village of Hampstead Norreys.
14 Mar 2020
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, called on the government to provide incentives for energy providers to develop solar power in the UK.
Mrs Hobhouse slammed the government for falling behind on meeting the UK’s renewable targets for solar energy capacity. The government plans to deploy 70 GW of solar power across the country by 2035. However, as of 2022, the UK had only installed 14.3 GW of solar pv.
Following a visit to a rooftop solar system installed by Bath & West Community Energy (BWCE) at Beechen Cliff School last year, Wera Hobhouse is keen to encourage the development of similar solar projects across Bath. The solar system is predicted to significantly cut the school’s fuel costs and reduce their carbon emissions by 52 tonnes a year.
In the House of Commons on the 27th February, the Bath MP noted that the UK is lagging behind the rest of the world in renewable energy investment, she urged the government to offer incentives to energy providers to improve solar capacity.
However, Andrew Bowie, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero, ignored Hobhouse’s proposals, failing to describe the ways in which the government could incentivise solar energy. Instead, Bowie said that the government’s Solar Taskforce would publish recommendations for solar power and reiterated the government’s target to deploy 70 GW by 2035.
Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath and spokesperson for Energy Security and Net Zero, commented:
“The Conservatives are falling dangerously behind on meeting our targets for renewable energy production. It is no good the government setting an ambitious 70 GW solar target if they are nowhere near reaching it.
“It is clear that they have no plan to get us back on track to reach Net Zero. Evidently, they are more than happy to dismiss perfectly good proposals like incentivising solar power. That is why I am so proud that Bath is home to many community energy projects like the solar system at Beechen Cliff School, so that we can lead the way in renewables.”
“It is not just our climate targets harmed by the Conservatives’ delay. Families in Bath and across the country are struggling to pay soaring energy bills which investment in renewables could curb. That is why we Liberal Democrats would build significantly more renewable energy, aiming to generate 80% of our electricity from renewables by 2030.”
Peter Capener, Managing Director of Bath & West Community Energy said:
“Our work with schools is really demonstrating the value of community energy in both addressing the climate crisis and reducing fuel bills. Rooftop solar installed last year has already saved local schools a combined total of £134,209 and has reduced carbon emissions by 224.3 tonnes, which is equivalent to 12,173 journeys from Bath to Edinburgh by train!”
