Archived press release

Government to publish National Policy Statements

6 November 2009

• Climate change must be at heart of National Policy Statements, says Friends of the Earth

• Crucial test of whether Ministers heed Committee on Climate Change warning

The Government will publish six draft National Policy Statements (NPSs) on Monday (9 November) aimed at fast-tracking the building of major infrastructure projects such as power stations. Many of these developments will have a high- carbon impact.

Each NPS will determine overall policy on different types of new developments - including the national need for these developments and, in some instances - such as nuclear power - their possible locations.

The Government is expected to introduce an overarching Energy NPS, alongside individual NPS on coal, renewable energy, nuclear power electricity transmission and ports.

The Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) was established on the 1 October 2009 and will consider applications from 1 March 2010. While the IPC, which is likely to received over 50 applications in its first year, is not accountable to the public, it will make decisions on major projects in line with each NPS.

Last month (12 October 2009) the Government's official climate advisor, the Committee on Climate Change, warned that "a step change is required in the pace of UK emissions reduction to meet carbon budgets, and that in some areas, new policy approaches will be required to deliver the Government's Low Carbon Transition Plan." Friends of the Earth believes the NPS announcements will show whether the Government is listening.

Friends of the Earth says that the NPSs must clearly set out the impact of developments on UK carbon emissions and how they will deliver on the UK's carbon budgets - set out by the Climate Change Act. The environmental campaign group warns that the Government could be open to a legal challenge if it does not properly consider climate change.

Friends of the Earth is also concerned that the NPS will severely limit people's ability to have a say in decisions on major projects. Schemes covered by the NPS will not be subject to public inquiry as happens at the moment - this will be replaced instead by limited open floor hearings with no public right to bring witnesses or to conduct cross-examination.

Friends of the Earth's Executive Director Andy Atkins said:

"Publication of the draft National Policy Statements will show whether or not the the UK is taking a real lead in developing a low-carbon economy ahead of crucial climate negotiations in Copenhagen.

"Tackling climate change must be at the core of reforms to the planning system - so the Government must set out the impact that its NPS projects have on UK greenhouse gas targets.

"But building new nuclear reactors is not the answer to the challenges of climate change and energy security.

"Nuclear power leaves a deadly legacy of radioactive waste that remains highly dangerous for tens of thousands of years and costs tens of billions of pounds to manage. And building new plants would divert precious resources from developing safe renewable power, while doing little to bring about the urgent emissions reductions that are desperately needed within the next decade."

"Ministers must develop the UK's huge renewable energy potential and embark on a massive national programme to cut energy waste. This will create tens of thousands of jobs, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, cut emissions and make Britain a world leader in developing a green economy."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1. Friends of the Earth has campaigned to safeguard people's rights, promote democratic accountability, and ensure that climate change is considered in national planning law, ever since the original Barker report in 2005. The organisation ran a high profile campaign to strengthen the Planning Bill which saw more than 30,000 people write to the Secretary of State regarding the Planning White Paper to include consideration of climate change, for local people to have a say in decisions which affect their area and for a democratically elected body to have the final say on big projects.

2. The Planning Bill was given Royal Assent alongside the Climate Change and Energy Bills, on 27 November 2008. The legislation removes a historic, democratic decision-making process about major infrastructure projects and fails to include any reference to climate change:
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/royal_assent_26112008.html

3. In June 2008 a Friends of the Earth survey revealed that nine out of ten people want a say on planning decisions affecting their local area and believe that climate change should be taken into account when considering the impact of big projects. Almost two thirds of people want planning decisions to be taken by councils rather than the Government.
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/nine_out_of_ten_want_a_say_24062008.html

4. Last month a coalition of organisations, led by Friends of the Earth and TCPA, called on the Government to put planning at the heart of the English planning system.
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/planning_coalition_campaign_27102009.html

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust