A letter published in today’s “Telegraph” newspaper under this title – see here – from leaders of construction businesses across the country warns of the dangers that come from Britain apparently distancing itself from actions on climate change.
In recent months, there has been some adverse comment about the impact renewable energy technologies are having upon the environment. However, the Government has remained committed to delivering the nation’s global warming treaty commitments. What has changed is that onshore wind farms are likely to receive planning consent where there are local objections in the future.
This is understandable, given the visual impact the structures have. However, continued attention is being paid to the need for more effective insulation of existing properties and the development of new homes with far better energy performances.
The most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned (Sunday 2 November 2014) that it may be necessary to completely eliminate the use of fossil fuels by the end of this century if massive climate change is to be avoided.
The business leaders can also see the way in which Britain’s businesses may benefit from the development of environmentally beneficial technologies, using the nation’s research base to create new solutions and sell them across the world.
There are those who consider the opinions expressed by scientists on the subject of the environment to be flawed. However, the weight of opinion is on the side of those who think man made climate change is having an adverse impact on the planet.
At the individual level, I suspect the benefits of reducing the amount of money spent on expensive energy bills has its own attractions.