Scientists attack energy industry
By Roger Harrabin
BBC Environment Analyst
*Britain's energy systems are no longer fit for purpose, according to
leading members of the UK's best-known scientific academy, the Royal
Society.*
A meeting of experts at the society said the government must invest hugely
to create a new low-carbon economy.
And it must take on the big generating companies who dominate energy policy,
participants said.
The government says the key issues on energy will be addressed in its
forthcoming energy White Paper.
*Electricity 'supergrid'*
The experts say ministers must make up lost time by investing massively in
research and deployment of renewables; creating a more wide-ranging
electricity 'supergrid'; and ensuring that coal-fired power stations capture
90% of their carbon emissions by 2020.
One leading member of the society said privately that the government's
performance on carbon capture so far had been pathetic - although would
agree that criticism should not be confined to the UK.
*We can either heat our homes and have hot baths, or fly but not both*
Lord Redesdale
The meeting agreed that failure to develop renewables in time meant that the
UK must continue to rely on nuclear power - even though questions over waste
and security were unresolved.
First priority on the society's action list is a big push on energy
efficiency in existing homes, taking advantage of the latest technologies.
The call is echoed by the all-party parliamentary climate change group,
which is set to insist that landlords should be prevented from letting homes
which waste energy.
*White Paper*
The group's vice-chairman, Lord Redesdale, said the UK would never reach its
climate change targets unless it radically improved policies on existing
homes.
He said: "A billion tonnes will have failed to be saved from domestic carbon
emissions and this is equivalent to the CO2 pollution from Britain's
aviation sector over the next 25 years.
"We can either heat our homes and have hot baths, or fly but not both. There
really does need to be much tougher policies on reducing carbon emissions
from the homes."
The government says many of the issues will be addressed in its energy White
Paper - although to the frustration of ministers in the energy and
environment departments, the Treasury has blocked whole scale investment in
home refurbishment until after 2012.
Ministers argue that their policy on carbon capture and storage is ahead of
any other major nation - calling for four demonstration projects and
insisting that new coal-fired power stations should capture a percentage of
their emissions until the technology is fully proven.
A Department of Energy and Climate Change spokesman said the UK had made
major strides recently on energy and climate change.
He listed The Climate Change Act, carbon budgets, and leadership for the
Copenhagen climate summit - including the Prime Minister's suggestion last
week that rich nations should transfer $100bn-a-year to poor nations to help
with climate change.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8122864.stm
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*Swami Vivekananda : Life and Teachings*
Copy the below link to your Browser :
http://www.belurmath.org/swamivivekananda.htm
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