Forthbank Wind Energy Development - Partnerships for Renewables

Forthbank Wind Energy Development
5 Legislative and Policy Context
5.1 Introduction
5.1.1 This chapter identifies the European Union, United Kingdom and Scottish Government’s
climate change and renewable energy targets which provide the context for the proposed wind
energy development. The main driver for these targets has been the need to reduce
greenhouse gases in order to combat climate change, and the requirement to fill the resulting
energy gap with renewable energy alternatives, including wind energy.
5.1.2 This chapter also identifies the development plan policies and material considerations relevant
to the determination of the planning application for the proposed wind energy development.
These policies and material considerations provide the context for the more detailed topic
analysis as set out in Chapters 6 to 15 of this ES. It is not the intention of this chapter to
assess the proposed wind energy development against the development plan and material
considerations, as this is contained in the separate Planning Statement.
5.2 Climate Change and Renewable Energy Targets
International Context
5.2.1 At the Kyoto conference in December 2007, developed countries agreed to reduce emissions
of the six principal man-made greenhouse gases overall to 5.2% below 1990 levels over the
period 2008 to 2012. The European Community agreed jointly to undertake an 8% reduction
at Kyoto, with the UK agreeing to take on a reduction target of 12.5%.
European Union Context
5.2.2 Based upon the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) findings, the European
Commission’s analysis shows that global emissions will have to be stabilised by around 2020,
then reduced by at least 50% of 1990 levels by 2050, with developed countries collectively
cutting their emissions to 30% below 1990 levels by 2020 and 60-80% by 2050. The European
Union has unilaterally agreed a new Climate and Energy Package which aims to deliver cuts in
emissions of 20% by 2020 which will be increased to 30% cuts in the event of a global deal.
5.2.3 In April 2009 the European Commission adopted a new European Renewables Directive (RD)
which sets the ambitious target of obtaining 20% of all the EU’s energy (not just electricity) to
come from renewables sources by 2020. The RD was negotiated on this 20% target basis and
resulted in country “shares” of this target. For the UK, the share is that 15% of all final energy
consumption should be accounted for by energy from renewables sources.
November 2010 Chapter 5 Page 1
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