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Labour Party about face on Climate Change?

October 23rd, 2007 · No Comments

The Guardian is reporting that Gordon Brown’s advisors are calling Tony Blair’s renewable energy targets are too expensive and face ‘severe practical difficulties’.

The UK Secretary of State for Business, John Hutton, is advocating that the United Kingdom should work with European countries skeptical about Global Warmign (such as POland) to convince EU nations to set renewable energy targets below the current set 20% by 2020. 

It is sad to consider that the UK, which has magnificent potential wind and ocean energy sources, will be battling against renewable energy targets. The article points out that Germany has increased its renewable energy share to 9 percent over the past six years while the UK share stands at just 2 percent.

The leaked papers are creating alarm among many. 

Last night campaigners expressed alarm at the new direction of government policy. “Gordon Brown is now in danger of surrendering any claim to international leadership on climate change and would rather support nuclear power and scupper the European renewable energy target,” said John Sauven, director of Greenpeace.

What are the “severe practidcal difficulties”?

persuading the Ministry of Defence and the shipping industry to accept more offshore wind power, as well as increased research and development costs for marine and tidal power.

To be polite, could one respond appropriately with: WTF?!?!!!!

This is a distressing development in the face of the avalanching news about Global Warming’s impacts that are already being felt. 

Tags: EU · renewable energy