Ed Miliband and David Lammy give first major speeches

Responding to an address given at the Energy UK Conference this morning by Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, who vowed to tackle the blockers to the roll of green energy infrastructure, Mike Childs, head of science, policy and research at Friends of the Earth, said:

“Energy bills are already sky high and are set to rise again from next month, because the UK is hooked on gas. For too many people this has meant making the choice between heating and eating. Ramping-up the deployment of cheap, homegrown renewables can make the UK more energy independent, cut harmful emissions and lower bills for good.

“Friends of the Earth analysis has shown we could produce 13 times more energy from onshore wind and solar farms in England, while protecting landscapes such as national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

“Opinion polling shows that most people support wind and solar, so while communities must have a voice in planning decisions and should directly benefit from clean energy projects, we can’t allow the voices of a minority to block necessary developments. With devastating flooding hitting Europe this week, there is an urgent need to take action to prevent the worse of climate breakdown and boost energy security, this means the UK must get building the clean, green energy infrastructure that is essential to growing the economy and creating thousands of new, long-term jobs.”

Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, also used his first major speech to declare that his department will put the climate and nature crises at the heart of policymaking. Responding, Mike Childs, head of science, policy and research at Friends of the Earth, said:

“The Foreign Secretary is right to recognise the urgent need to tackle the climate and nature crises, and the importance of putting environmental concerns at the heart of government decision-making.

“Countries across the world are being severely harmed by worsening floods, droughts, and wildfires, as we’re seeing now in Europe and Brazil, with devastating consequences for global food security and people’s lives and livelihoods. And it’s often the most marginalised communities in countries with the least responsibility for the climate crisis that are being hardest hit.

“The best climate leadership the UK can offer is to meet its own global carbon reduction targets, which are currently way off track, stop UK companies driving environmental and human rights abuses through their supply chains, cut all UK funding of overseas fossil fuel projects, including the proposed gas mega-project in Mozambique, and properly funding developing countries’ efforts to adapt to extreme weather and develop clean energy infrastructure. David Lammy’s words are important, but the UK will ultimately be judged by what it does not what it says.” 

ENDS