"Campaigners are warning that the UK is set to miss a significant renewable energy target in the latest sign that Government is backsliding on the fig
“Campaigners are warning that the UK is set to miss a significant renewable energy target in the latest sign that Government is backsliding on the fight against global warming.”
Whitehall officials have quietly published a report exposing that Britain is falling behind since Angela Merkel is preparing to lead attempts to take Donald Trump, climate science denier, to the task at the forthcoming G20 summit in Germany.
Apart from three Europian Union countries, the UK still has more ground to make up even though having the relatively small target of getting 15 % of total energy – including electricity, transport and residential heating – from renewables by 2020.
Achieving the 2020 target would be challenging since the newest report said the UK reached only 8.9 per cent in 2016.
“How big a trial it will be to meet the UK 2020 renewables goals, which is modest by European standards,” explains Leonie Greene of industry body Solar Trade Association.
She also added:“It’s clear renewable energy now needs some serious ministerial attention.”
We are not asking for more money from taxpayers, underlined Ms Greene. “For solar we are not even asking for new subsidies – simply a fair and level playing field with other generation technologies.”
A renewable energy campaigner, Alasdair Cameron, is worried that the other countries might think the UK is cosying up to the US President, who is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement on climate change.
He underlined:“The UK needs to make it clear it doesn’t stand with Donald Trump.”
Mr Cameron said that the UK is unlikely to hit the 15 per cent target unless the Government makes some “ambitious new policies,” and that the change to a low-carbon economy is a new global industrial revolution.
He also said: “I think if the UK gets serious about clean electricity, heating, and transport, then it can certainly get pretty close.”
The UK goal of 15 % was set as part of an EU engagement that saw other nations given targets ranging from 10 % (Malta) to 49 % (Sweden).
The UK has done well in improving the amount of renewable electricity generation, according to the Gareth Redmond-King, who is head of climate and energy policy at conservation group WWF.
“Where the UK is very much not on track is about renewable heat in our houses, and renewable fuels in our transportation; this is the reason why we will probably miss the 2020 target,” the former civil servant added.
“Theresa May has been discussing the talk on climate action, and now it’s time for her to walk the walk.” said Dr Doug Parr, chief scientist of Greenpeace UK.
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