Energy
consumption is a major issue which fuels Climate Change as a result
of the Carbon Dioxide emisions from burning fossil fuels.
In
the West Midlands there is a Regional Energy Office, linked to the
Regional Assembly which is seeking to address this issue and to
take forward the Regional Energy Strategy developed in 2004 by the
West Midlands Regional Assembly, which you can read at:
http://www.wmra.gov.uk/energy_strategy.htm.
Much
of the Strategy we would support, especially the emphasis on energy
conservation, both by householders and businesses. We believe this
is critical if we are to reduce the amount of harmful emissions
of gasses leading to Climate Change.
We also believe we need to increase our energy production from renewable
sources, but in general we favour local solutions which have less
impact on the countryside and where there is less energy loss in
distribution.
There are criteria for energy projects set out in the Regional
Spatial Strategy, which include landscape protection. These
need to be rigorously applied.
We
are concerned about the potential impact of large-scale wind turbines
on the landscape. We believe insufficient weight is being given,
locally, regionally or nationally, to their visual impact.
We
also have concerns that biofuel production should not lead to monocropping
or to loss of land needed to grow food. Some biocrops can also threaten
hedgerows and other wildlife habitats if innapropriately planted.
And we are concerned that the transport
sector is not playing its part in reducing emissions, whether from
aviation or surface transport. We favour much stronger demand management
of traffic and control of airport expansion, for example at Birmingham
Airport.
26.02.08 |
