30th anniversary gift wrapped in White Paper

Friends of the Earth are "celebrating" a recent victory after thirty years of campaigning against nuclear power. The Government has published The White Paper that finally acknowledges nuclear power is not the answer to old energy problems.

The paper's publication follows intense campaigning by Friends of the Earth online supporters through the "Dump Nuclear" website during 2002. It's also a blow for industry lobbyists who were trying to position nuclear power as the solution to climate change.

The White Paper wants to see:-

• 20% of energy from renewables by 2020.
• 60% cut in carbon emissions by 2050.
  

The decision to back renewable energy and promote increased energy efficiency has to be a positive step forward but without careful planning these targets could be hard to meet.

For the first time it seems that climate change has been placed at the heart of energy policy and this has to be congratulated. We are however concerned that the government has got a long way to go to deliver the policies and measures that will ensure the vision outlined in the White Paper is met.

Bryony Worthington, Campaigner Climate and Transport
Friends of the Earth

Discuss "30th anniversary gift wrapped in White Paper" in our forum