A little less conversation...
August 1st 2006 The CBI praises the Government's recent energy review for recognising the need for swift action but also points out that the challenge now is to deliver on this promising start. The review itself makes some sensible comment such as the fact that climate change must be tackled and energy supply must be secure and affordable. It also states that: decisions on replacing nuclear power stations need to made in the next few years; energy efficiency must be encouraged; the starting point for reducing carbon emissions is to save energy; more must be done to encourage smaller scale electricity generators; and that steps must be taken to secure gas supplies. I could continue this list but the point is that anyone with a reasonable amount of thought could have said all of this without going through the rigmarole of a consultation review.
Platitudes such as this do not make an energy policy. Saying that we should save energy is true but not very useful because this is what the Government said four years ago in the energy white paper. It is now time to act and report on what is being done and could be done better, not just state the basic aspirations of what we should be doing sometime in the future,we haven't time for that according to the Government itself.
The Institution of Chemical Engineers makes this thought explicit."The lack of firm short-term measures is a major disappointment.We are no further forward than we were in 2002," says IChemE spokesman, David White."The UK needs to replace over a third of generating capacity within the next 15 years. Decisions are needed now. Continuity of electricity supply is vital to any developed society while its low cost is essential for a competitive economy and to avoid fuel poverty.The review is thin on any clear decisions."
The recent good news tells us that the hole in the ozone layer has stopped expanding and although it may take another 60 years for the hole to fully disappear, it is a testament to what can be achieved if there is the political will to do so.The Montreal Protocol in 1987 which caused CFCs to be phased out is held to be largely responsible for the improvement.
So we will wait and see what happens and judge the Government on what it achieves rather than what it says. Let's hope it doesn't take too long, so that we can have some clarity in energy policy, if nothing else. More articles from WEE News Desk: | 
