Greenest Government Ever invests pension money in roads and energy-intensive industry while slashing low carbon solar subsidies.
With crucial talks on climate change currently taking place in South Africa, George Osborne's plans to boost the economy by investing in roads and helping energy-intensive industries is as outrageous as it is short-sighted (Osborne's £5bn gamble to stave off recession, 28 November, The Guardian). The self-styled "greenest government ever" should be building a low-carbon economy, not making us more dependent on gas, coal and oil. Tens of thousands of jobs in the solar industry are under threat from plans to slash solar subsidies. Just a fraction of the billions available to Osborne would safeguard this thriving industry - and help households generate their own energy. And the UK's cash-strapped green investment bank is in desperate need of a financial boost too. It's ironic that much of the money to fund the chancellor's carbon-intensive investment drive will apparently come from commercial pension funds. Surely this money should be used to safeguard people's long-term wellbeing, not to build a riskier and more expensive future for us all. Andy Atkins, Executive director, Friends of the Earth (in letter to The Guardian 1st December 2011)
Stockport Council Gets Serious about Carbon.
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council has adopted a target to reduce emissions across the Borough by 40% by 2020, following the presentation of over 600 postcards signed by Stockport residents to Councillor Stuart Bodsworth, the Executive member for the Environment.
Kate of Stockport Friends of the Earth, campaigner and local resident said: "It is fantastic that the Council has listened to the hundreds of people from Stockport who called for a serious target to cut emissions as part of Friends of the Earth's Get Serious About CO2 campaign."
Work begins on Stockport Hydro Project
Work has started at the site of Stockport's first community owned hydro electricity plant. Louise Fowler, one of the scheme's directors, said "It's really great news. As a local resident it's exciting to think that in a few months Stockport will be generating its own renewable energy."
Marple Dale Bridge gets the go ahead.
Stockport Friends of the Earth were delighted to hear confirmation from Councillor Iain Roberts, Executive Councillor (Transportation), that the Marple Dale Bridge will happen early in 2012. Fearful that significant funding from Sustrans could be lost, Stockport Friends of the Earth collected well over one hundred signatures from concerned local residents on a petition to urge our Council to get a move on. Cllr Roberts was attending our October meeting to discuss a variety of local transport issues with local Stockport group members.