Tag Archives: Election 2010

Climate Change: Conservatives’ policy statement

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Con Manifesto Climate Change.pdf

The text below is from the ‘Where We Stand’ page for Energy & Climate Change on the Conservatives’ website today (12/5/10). The document is the “Combat climate change” section clipped from the Conservative manifesto “Invitation to the Government of Britain, pp.91-93).

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“With urgent action needed to combat climate change, and with our energy supplies increasingly insecure and dependent on imports, it?s time to rethink the way we supply and consume energy in Britain.

A Conservative government will take immediate action to give Britain leadership in a low carbon world. We will cut carbon emissions and promote low carbon energy production. We will safeguard our energy security and make it easier for families to go green.

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world, but it provides us with opportunities too. To cut emissions and encourage new low carbon energy production, we will:

  • Introduce an Emissions Performance Standard to set a legal limit on the emissions from power stations;
  • Deliver a 10 per cent cut in central government carbon emissions within 12 months of coming to office;
  • Create four carbon capture and storage equipped power plants;
  • Deliver an offshore electricity grid and establish at least two Marine Energy Parks;
  • Allow communities that host renewable energy projects like wind farms to keep the additional business rates they generate for six years; and,
  • Provide incentives for smaller-scale energy generation.

Britain needs a clear, consistent and stable energy policy that safeguards our energy security. We will take immediate action to secure the UK?s energy supplies, including:

  • Putting in place supply guarantees in the gas and electricity markets ? ensuring that sufficient electricity generating capacity is maintained and setting an obligation on gas suppliers to ensure that supplies are in place throughout the year;
  • Reforming the Climate Change Levy to provide a floor price for carbon, delivering the right climate for investment;
  • Transforming electricity networks with ‘smart grid’ and ‘smart meter’ technology; and,
  • Clearing the way for new nuclear power stations ? provided they receive no public subsidy.

A Conservative government will make it easier for families to go green, whilst taking action to reduce energy bills. We will:

  • Create a ?Green Deal?, giving every home up to ?6,500 worth of energy improvement measures ? paid for out of the savings made on fuel bills;
  • Ensure that every energy bill provides information on how to move to the cheapest tariff offered by their supplier and how their energy usage compares to similar households; and,
  • Reform the Post Office Card Account to give up to 4 million people access to lower tariffs.”

Climate Change: Lib Dems’ policy statements

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01 – Climate Change and Energy.pdf

Words on web page & pdf are different, so I’ve included both. Web page source is here.

Climate change is getting worse and could destroy our way of life. Our children will suffer most if we don?t act now.

Liberal Democrats believe that there is a huge opportunity to get out of this recession by going green, strengthening the economy, creating new jobs and improving the quality of people?s lives.

Many people still struggle to pay their fuel bills. Liberal Democrats will require energy companies to simplify the complicated tangle of different tariffs, requiring them to charge families less for a basic amount of energy used, to encourage responsible use. We will also introduce a fair social tariff system for disadvantaged families. We will roll out smart meters to all households within five years and insulate all of Britain?s homes to a decent standard within 10 years. We will immediately raise the requirements of Building Regulations to ensure that all new homes are energy efficient and use ?Green Loans? to encourage people to invest in home energy efficiency and micro-renewables.

Both Labour and Conservatives support the construction of new nuclear power stations. More nuclear power will soak up subsidy, centralise energy production and hinder development of Britain?s vast renewable resources. Nuclear has a dirty legacy and increases global security risks. We oppose construction of further nuclear power stations.

Liberal Democrats will drive a massive programme of investment in renewable energy sources such as wind, wave and solar. We will also transform the National Grid into a smart decentralised grid which will respond dynamically to the changing patterns of energy demand. Smart metering and guaranteed prices will unlock the potential of local and community energy generation, giving people control over the energy they use.

We will invest now in the green technologies of the future delivering hundreds of thousands of new and better jobs in the years to come. A zero-carbon Britain will also be energy secure, with action at the EU level, to deliver an energy independent Europe breaking our current dependence on fossil fuels.

We will prioritise achieving a global agreement providing leadership for an international framework that will enable each country to manage a transition to a low-carbon economy. We will help developing countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change.