Dear Tim,
RE: Decarbonisation target and the Energy Bill
Thank
you for your email regarding the Energy Bill, I have now finally
received a response to my letter to Greg Barker which I attach here for
your information.
The
Department for Energy and Climate Change state that a 2030 target
should be considered alongside the setting of the fifth carbon budget by
2016.
Therefore,
as you know, the Energy Bill provides the Government with the power to
set a 2030 decarbonisation target range in 2016. We will be the only
country in the world with such a legislative provision for a 2030 power
sector decarbonisation target - and I see this as an achievement for
Liberal Democrats in Government.
My
Liberal Democrat colleagues expressed the view that we would like to
set a target now. However, in order to guarantee that all of the
positive aspects of the Energy Bill could become law alongside the
financial support for low carbon generation, it was necessary to forego
the possibility of setting a decarbonisation target now. We fought long
and hard for a 2030 power sector decarbonisation target in the Energy
Bill – but the Conservative opposition was implacable. Unfortunately,
you cannot win every battle in a Coalition, especially as the ‘junior
partner.’
I
can assure you, though, that the Government is committed to working to
decarbonise the economy and recognises that investor certainty is a
critical way of achieving this transition cost effectively.
As
I have previously said, I am still pleased with the Energy Bill as it
currently stands. I believe it will encourage a massive investment in
renewables and other forms of low-carbon energy. The Energy Bill as it
stands is a 'green jobs' Bill which is what both you and I want.
Thank
you for raising this very important issue. Please don’t hesitate to
contact me again if you would like to discuss this further or you feel
there is anything else I can do as your parliamentary representative.
Kind regards,
Lynne Featherstone
Member of Parliament for Hornsey and Wood Green
020 8340 5459
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P Please consider the environment before printing this email.
I write on behalf of Muswell Hill &
Hornsey Friends of the Earth as directed by the group at our recent
meeting. Thank you for your email of 14 March in which you attached your
letter to Greg Barker. No word of his reply has reached me yet.
We appreciate that the Lib Dems have tried to get the Tories to amend the Energy Bill, to include a decarbonisation target deemed consistent with a low-carbon trajectory as advised by the Committee on Climate
Change. As you know, the Liberal Democrat conference in September 2012
voted to introduce a decarbonisation target. It is critical that the
Energy Bill gives business a clear signal that only low-carbon
investments stand to make a profit. We will be writing to the Ham &
High stating how vital it is that MPs vote for a decarbonisation target
in the Report Stage on 3 June. Would you like to comment on this? We
would include your comment in our submission to the Ham & High. We
very much hope you do not find yourself on the wrong side in this
historic vote. There is no justification for siding with the
Conservatives in ignoring the welfare of our children and grandchildren
by failing to prioritise low-carbon investments sufficiently via a
decarbonisation target.
Muswell Hill & Hornsey Friends of the Earth
