24 November 2015
North Lincolnshire Green Party Press Release
For Immediate Release
Please scroll down for Viewpoint Letter - 'Hollow Tory Claims On Climate Change'
Wednesday 18th November was a bad day for the planet and all of us on it, both locally and nationally. The Tories have shown just how hollow their claims to be concerned about climate change really are.
Locally, the Tories rejected 4 applications for climate saving solar arrays, claiming that they are unattractive and will ruin the surrounding area. The efforts of the local Labour party to see these developments granted permission didn’t go unnoticed. Nationally, the much-hyped speech by the Energy Secretary was illogical and inconsistent. Amber Rudd announced the Conservatives plans for ‘a new energy infrastructure, fit for the 21st century’ yet her department continues to fire up outdated high-carbon gas power stations set to burn damaging fossil fuels for decades to come. Getting rid of coal is to be welcomed, but if we are to have a chance of meeting the energy challenges we face and keep global temperature rise to 2 degrees or less then we should not be introducing subsidies for new gas power stations. Gas is still a climate changing fossil fuel and it is a finite resource. Instead, we should be investing in renewables such as solar and wind.
North Lincolnshire Green Party Coordinator, Laura Atkin was at the NLC Planning Committee meeting to speak in support of an application to install a solar array in Manton, between Messingham and Kirton. Laura says ‘It was clear after the first application to install a standalone solar system in Holme was refused that the Tories were simply finding frivolous faults to avoid installing solar arrays in North Lincolnshire. In my opinion, this was a decision of political will and not the will of doing what is best for the residents. The Conservatives do not see any problems with fracking wells, yet their decision to refuse all four applications was based on aesthetics. Solar arrays are far more environmentally friendly and much more attractive than perilous fracking wells. The effects of climate change are already being seen all over the world and causing devastation to many lives, from hurricanes strong enough to destroy a whole town to flooding that destroys fields and fields of crops and livestock. Both of these effects of climate change take people’s lives. Do the Tories think the effects of climate change are attractive? This is the reality, we need to be acting now to protect our planet for future generations.’
Solar and wind are more popular amongst the general public and are cheaper and quicker to deploy, yet in recent months the Government has cut funding to solar and wind farms whilst continuing to subsidise expensive nuclear power plants. The UK is the only G7 country that has increased fossil fuel subsidies, whilst countries such as China and the US have turned rhetoric into action by agreeing to prioritise the setting of a deadline to phase out fossil fuels subsidies completely. In reality, the Government’s announcement on Wednesday 18th November has opened the doors to fracking across huge swathes of our countryside. Even if local councils object, National Government will overrule them.
Recent reports in the lead up to the Climate Change summit in Paris, show we have already reached the 1 degree temperature increase globally, and are on target to exceed 2 degrees. Even at 2 degrees, sea levels will rise by 30 inches which means huge threats to coastal communities.
Instead of spending increasingly vast sums of money building higher and higher flood defences, it makes far more economic sense to prevent the problem from happening in the first place by investing in renewables.
In these crucial weeks leading up to the Paris climate talks, never has a greater opportunity for rethinking the way in which we create energy been presented to us. It is vital that we take urgent action to tackle climate change, starting by ensuring the world leaders sign up to a strong agreement at the Paris climate negotiations.
*ENDS*
Useful Links:
https://roadtoparis.climaterealityproject.org/english.php - Link to petition to demand World Leaders sign a strong agreement at the Paris climate negotiations.
Contact Details
Laura Atkin
North Lincolnshire Green Party Coordinator
Email: laura.atkin@greenparty.org.uk
Telephone: 07495878858
Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you require further information.
No. However, the letter below was published in the Viewpoint section of the Scunthorpe Telegraph on Thursday 3rd December 2015
3rd December 2015
As well as the press release above, North Lincolnshire Green Party Coordinator, Laura Atkin wrote a letter to send to the local press just in case the press release wasn't published. There is an image of the section that was published at the bottom of this page.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to express my sheer contempt for recent decisions the local Conservatives have made regarding North Lincolnshire. The Tories have shown just how hollow their claims to be concerned about climate change really are and have made it abundantly clear that they make their decisions based on political will and not the will of doing what is best for the residents.
Wednesday 18th November was a bad day for the planet and all of us on it, both locally and nationally. Locally, the Tories rejected 4 applications for climate saving solar arrays, claiming that they are unattractive and will ruin the surrounding area. The efforts of the local Labour party to see these developments granted permission didn’t go unnoticed. Nationally, the much-hyped speech by the Energy Secretary was illogical and inconsistent. Amber Rudd announced the Conservatives plans for ‘a new energy infrastructure, fit for the 21st century’ yet her department continues to fire up outdated high-carbon gas power stations set to burn damaging fossil fuels for decades to come. Getting rid of coal is to be welcomed, but if we are to have a chance of meeting the energy challenges we face and keep global temperature rise to 2 degrees or less then we should not be introducing subsidies for new gas power stations. Gas is still a climate changing fossil fuel and it is a finite resource. Instead, we should be investing in renewables such as solar and wind.
On Wednesday 18th November, I attended the NLC Planning Committee meeting to speak in support of an application to install a solar array in Manton. It was clear after the first application to install a standalone solar system in Holme was refused that the Tories were simply finding frivolous faults to avoid installing solar arrays in North Lincolnshire. The Conservatives do not see any problems with fracking wells, yet their decision to refuse all four applications was based on aesthetics. Solar arrays are far more environmentally friendly and much more attractive than perilous fracking wells. The effects of climate change are already being seen all over the world and causing devastation to many lives, from hurricanes strong enough to destroy a whole town to flooding that destroys fields and fields of crops and livestock. Both of these effects of climate change take people’s lives. Do the Tories think the effects of climate change are attractive? This is the reality, we need to be acting now to protect our planet for future generations.
Solar and wind are more popular amongst the general public and are cheaper and quicker to deploy, yet in recent months the Government has cut funding to solar and wind farms whilst continuing to subsidise expensive nuclear power plants. The UK is the only G7 country that has increased fossil fuel subsidies, whilst countries such as China and the US have turned rhetoric into action by agreeing to prioritise the setting of a deadline to phase out fossil fuels subsidies completely. In reality, the Government’s announcement on Wednesday 18th November has opened the doors to fracking across huge swathes of our countryside. Even if local councils object, National Government will overrule them.
Recent reports in the lead up to the Climate Change summit in Paris show we have already reached the 1 degree temperature increase globally and are on target to exceed 2 degrees. Even at 2 degrees, sea levels will rise by 30 inches which means huge threats to coastal communities.
Instead of spending increasingly vast sums of money building higher and higher flood defences, it makes far more economic sense to prevent the problem from happening in the first place by investing in renewables.
In these crucial weeks leading up to the Paris climate talks, never has a greater opportunity for rethinking the way in which we create energy been presented to us. It is vital that we take urgent action to tackle climate change, starting by ensuring the world leaders sign up to a strong agreement at the Paris climate negotiations.
Yours Sincerely,
Laura Atkin
(Coordinator for North Lincolnshire Green Party)
North Lincolnshire Council We are standing candidates for three seats in two wards on North Lincolnshire Council.
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