Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London, and Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East have written to The Guardian following the news that the UK Government is lobbying the European Commission to abolish future EU renewable energy targets.  The following letter was published on Thursday 15th March.

Dear Sir,

‘UK wants 2030 renewable energy target scrapped’

The news that the UK government is secretly lobbying the European Commission for the abolition of EU renewable energy targets sadly comes as no surprise, and merely reveals the scale of the challenge facing supporters of clean, green power.

Coalition Ministers have shown little appetite for meeting the UK’s 2020 target; indeed, rather then take positive steps to boost, encourage and support burgeoning green technologies, which have created thousands of new jobs and made an important contribution to climate change goals, the government has instead penalised those that have thrived.  Not happy with their thwarted attempts to bring the solar industry to its knees, attention has now turned to on-shore wind, for which there is huge potential in the UK.

Last week, the UK government supported ambitious targets in the EU 2050 Energy Roadmap, but we know from experience that a voluntary, market approach does not give the necessary clarity or impetus for the required investment.  ‘Sign up and hope’ is not a policy.  We are told that straitened public finances means that subsidies for green energy are no longer affordable, but stepping up our ambition on emission reductions not only makes sense for our energy policy, but makes economic sense in terms of green growth and jobs, too.  Frankly, no other solution will do.

Jean Lambert, Green MEP for London
Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/mar/14/carbon-targets-renewables-atomic-risks