UK Environmental news
 | Thursday 16th July 2009 Government Unveils Plans to Meet Carbon Targets The Government released sweeping plans yesterday, revealing how it expects to meet its carbon targets and make the move to a green economy. The plans include reforms in all sectors including transport, industry, renewable energy and home energy consumption. The UK has pledged to reduce the national carbon emissions by 34% by 2020 compared to levels in the 1990s. The plans were presented by Edward Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary. Mr Miliband stated the Government's commitment to improving public transport to make it more attractive to the public. He also pledged to promote cycling and other forms of alternative transport. The plans include new electric high speed rail links and investment in green technologies such as infrastructure for electric cars. The aim is to cut CO2 emissions by 85 million tonnes in the transport sector alone. Currently, only 5% of energy in the UK comes from renewable sources. Another major component of these new plans is to increase that figure to 30% by 2020. The bulk of this electricity will come from more wind power, with thousands more wind turbines situated both on and off shore. The controversial new nuclear power stations are also an integral part of the plan, with new carbon capture techniques featuring heavily. This process captures CO2 emitted by the power stations and seals it underground to stop it polluting the atmosphere. The first of these stations is scheduled to be online by 2020. A plan to roll out "Smart" electricity meters to all 26 million UK homes was also announced. These meters allow residents to monitor power consumption in real time, and it is hoped that individuals will take greater responsibility for their home energy use. In addition, all new builds will come with improved insulation with the aim of creating zero carbon homes. Big industry will also see changes with financial incentives offered by the Government for cutting emissions and a greater investment in green technologies. Environmental groups have welcomed the proposals but insist that it is only a first step. Other government policies, such as airport and road expansions, are likely to offset some of the proposed gains. |
Comments (0)
|
|