Press release
Energy Committee Chair calls for clean energy target
18 December 2012
Welcoming Tim Yeo's announcement today (Tuesday 18 December 2012) that he plans to table an amendment to the Energy Bill for a target to decarbonise the power sector by 2030, Friends of the Earth's Executive Director Andy Atkins said:
"A target for cleaning up the power sector is essential - it would give businesses the confidence to invest in clean energy, create jobs and end the nation's crippling dependence on dirty and increasingly costly fossil fuels.
"The driving force behind rocketing fuel bills is the mounting cost of wholesale gas, with experts predicting further rises in the years to come.
"If we want to create a clean, safe and affordable energy system the Government must abandon its reckless dash for gas which threatens to send the UK hurtling towards an increasingly expensive future and shatter UK targets for tackling climate change."
ENDS
Notes to editors
1. Friends of the Earth has produced a joint briefing on the Energy Bill with other NGOs, calling for a target to decarbonise our energy system by 2030, in order to provide certainty to renewable energy investors and get off costly and polluting gas.
2. Friends of the Earth's Clean British Energy campaign, backed by Dragons' Den's Deborah Meaden, is urging the Government to listen to the public and transform our broken energy system by developing clean and affordable power from our wind, sun and water. For too long the Big Six energy companies have locked Britain into importing costly gas and coal - causing our fuel bills to rocket. Now 85 per cent of people want the Government to back UK renewable power instead. This, and cutting energy waste, will stabilise fuel bills and create new jobs
To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.
If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.
Published by Friends of the Earth Trust
Last modified: Dec 2012
