Connecting the Future - Greenpeace UK

Connecting the future: the UK’s renewable energy strategy
Foreword
Foreword
Back in the summer of 2005 – just before the G8 summit at Gleneagles on
climate change – Prime Minister Tony Blair brought together the world’s
climate scientists in Exeter, to assess the latest climate science. Its conclusion?
In order to avoid the worst effects of climate change, we need to stabilise
global emissions within 10 years. At the end of 2007, the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change produced its latest assessment of the state of the
world’s climate, broadly confirming the findings of the Exeter Conference.
At the beginning of August this year the clock really started ticking. We now
have just 99 months to prevent the tipping point of catastrophic climate
change. If global emissions have not been stabilised and begun declining by
the end of 2015, then our chances of keeping global temperature rise below
two degrees – and therefore giving ourselves a good chance of avoiding
catastrophic climate change – will be extremely remote.
The need for a bold response from a nation that considers itself a world leader
in tackling climate change has never been clearer, yet on too many fronts,
the UK government seems intent upon repeating the mistakes of the past.
From runways to new coal fired power stations, the government’s plans for
resurrecting the icons that are the principle cause of climate change continue,
despite the breadth of opposition marshalled against them.
Within this context, the government’s consultation on a new renewable
energy strategy for the UK stands as a promising beacon of light. After years
of timidity and failure, this consultation shows some small but encouraging
signs that the government might just be starting to recognise the scale of
potential for renewable energy in the UK. The consultation proves that the
ambitious target of generating 15% of the UK’s energy from renewable sources
by 2020 (including electricity, heat and transport) is deliverable. It also shows
though that in order to secure the enormous benefits this strategy could bring
to the UK’s energy security, economy and the world’s climate, the government
must put its money where its mouth is.
As a contribution to the government’s consultation process, Connecting the
future systematically catalogues the history of initiatives, obligations and
mechanisms introduced by the Labour government over the last decade to
encourage renewable energy in the UK, providing a comprehensive critique of
Labour’s approach. It sets out clear recommendations for how the government
can redress the missed opportunities over the last 10 years, and at last turn
the UK into the renewable energy powerhouse it is so well placed to become,
leading the world in showcasing the real solutions to the challenges of climate
change and energy security.
On efficiency, the report advocates a more aggressive demand reduction
strategy as a tough approach to energy efficiency. But a more proactive
approach is required than yet more voluntary schemes for which no one