10 WAYS TO SAVE
THE WORLD
Today, Tony Blair will address energy ministers from around the world
on...
Nov 1, 2005 - Independent-London
1. SET LEGALLY BINDING ANNUAL CO2 REDUCTION TARGETS
New law to commit the Government to reducing CO2 every year by a
fixed amount " say, 3 per cent " audited by an independent body. A
radical programme would then have to be implemented to meet the target
Proposed by Friends of the Earth; backed by both Tories and Lib Dems.
2. DECENTRALISE THE ENERGY SUPPLY SYSTEM
Do away with the vast power stations serving the national grid: think
microgeneration. Give every city, every town, every village, its own
power station, fitted with a combined heat and power (CHP) system, which
cuts CO2
3. ALL NEW BUILDINGS TO BE CO2-FREE
Put a power station in every basement: change building regulations to
make all new buildings provide their own power, with solar panels,
mini-wind turbines and CHP systems to soak up wasted heat
4. INSIST ON USE OF ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHT BULBS
Ban standard light bulbs all over Britain and force us to use energy-
saving bulbs instead, which soak up less than a quarter of the
electricity. Hugely symbolic gesture which would save enormous
quantities of CO2
5. BOOST NEGLECTED RENEWABLES; SOLAR, WAVE, TIDE POWER
Start giving proper funding and backing to renewable energy other
than wind: solar power, and power from the waves and tides. These have
vast potential to supply C02-free electricity, yet are underdeveloped
6. FOCUS AGAIN ON OFFSHORE WIND POWER
Renew the impetus behind wind farms based in the sea with pounds 1bn
of subsidy: after a good start, development is slowing, because of
technical and financial difficulties, yet we have unparalleled offshore
wind resources
7. GET RADICAL WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Make sure every house in Britain that can be properly insulated is
insulated; bring in much more rigorous labelling, that can enable any
consumer to see how much energy is used by a product
8. TACKLE THE GAS GUZZLERS
Raise vehicle excise duty (VED) on cars such as 4x4s; make it more
than pounds 1,000 per vehicle and set it to rise further. If you want to
be radical, insist on a health warning on the side: This Vehicle Damages
The Environment
9. CURB THE GROWTH IN CHEAP FLIGHTS
Raise air passenger duty to end the cheap flight bonanza, as CO2
emissions from aircraft are the most rapidly rising in Britain and also
the most damaging: they go straight into the stratosphere. A vote loser
and a tough choice
10. HAVE A LATE-NIGHT TALK WITH GEORGE BUSH
Do anything you can to get George Bush to change his mind about
climate change. The world needs America, the biggest CO2 emitter, to
lead the fight against global warming. The President is denying the
evidence
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