Archived press release
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Prescott's right: councils have a key role in delivering green energy
20 October 2009
Responding to John Prescott, who today criticised "landowners and nimbys" and called for local councils to identify potential wind farm sites in their area, Friends of the Earth's energy campaigner Nick Rau said:
"John Prescott is right to call for councils to be obliged to identify local sites where green energy developments such as wind farms could be built.
"Councils must understand that they have a vital role to play in cutting UK greenhouse gas emissions and delivering green energy.
"New planning guidance is desperately needed which sets renewable energy targets for local authorities across the country.
"The planning system must help local communities find real solutions to climate change, and councils must get proactive and help people reap the financial and employment benefits of having community-led green energy projects developed in their local area."
Notes to editors
1. Friends of the Earth's call for new planning guidance is part of its new campaign - Get Serious About CO2 - which calls on local councils to play their part in tackling climate change by pledging to reduce emissions in their area by at least 40 per cent by 2020. The campaign is also calling for a minimum level of action for all councils, set in line with the latest science, and for more money and less hassle so councils can get on with local action to cut CO2. http://www.getseriousaboutco2.com/
2. Friends of the Earth is part of a coalition of 60 organisations that is currently putting together proposals for new guidance on climate and planning. The Government is due to publish new guidance this Autumn.
3. Friends of the Earth welcomed the announcement by Ed Miliband today of a £5 million research project to stop wind turbines interfering with radar.
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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Oct 2009
