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Keeping the Government on it's toes

Posted: 01/12/2006

The government may be forced to ditch its energy review, which backed a new generation of nuclear power plants. The review is to be scrutinised in the High Court, after Greenpeace claimed that it was 'legally flawed'. The Royal Courts of Justice have granted permission for Greenpeace's case to be heard in full. And Friends of the Earth have published a number of measures that they consider the Chancellor should implement to reduce energy demand and cut carbon dioxide emissions.

Greenpeace's legal battle started in October, when the group lodged legal papers arguing that the government did not carry out the 'full public consultation' it had committed itself to before making a decision to back new nuclear power stations.

Should Greenpeace win the case, the government may have to abandon the conclusions of the energy review and instead carry out a much fuller consultation and provide comprehensive information on the full range of issues relating to building new nuclear reactors in the UK.

The energy review, according to Greenpeace, failed as a 'full public consultation' because it did not resolve key issues surrounding a new generation of nuclear power stations, such as dealing with radioactive waste, financial costs and the design of the reactors.

Sarah North, head of Greenpeace's nuclear campaign, said: " Today's decision throws a huge amount of doubt over the Government's dubious plans to force a highly dangerous nuclear future on the UK. They should now go back to the drawing board, reconsider their nuclear policy and launch a proper debate on the UK's future energy needs.

"It's stunningly obvious that there are more efficient, effective, safer and cheaper ways than nuclear power to meet energy demands and cut climate change emissions. A legitimate energy review would have delivered very different conclusions from the one that backed nuclear power."

Friends of the Earth also support a nuclear free future and are calling on the Chancellor to do more to reduce demand for energy and cut emissions from housing by increasing incentives to be energy efficient and install small-scale renewable energy systems (microgeneration).

Some of the measures FOE wil recommend are:- Council Tax rebates to encourage home insulation: Stamp duty rebates for energy efficient homes or improvements within six months of purchase: Cutting VAT on DIY energy saving equipment and materials and on high quality refurbishments: Tax incentives and increased grants to boost micro energy generation:

FOE say the money raised from green motoring taxes, such as a substantially increased VED for gas-guzzling vehicles(up to £2,000 for the most polluting vehicles) and the restoration of the road fuel tax escalator, as well as an increase in Air Passenger Duty would help create a £2.4 billion 'green homes fund' to finance Council Tax rebates and micro-generation grants and improve public transport.

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