Energy review ignores climate change 'tipping point'

Alok Jha, science correspondent for the Guardian Unlimited comments on the Uk Energy review
Monday September 4, 2006

Ken slams the 'Energy Review'

In a superbly informed article in the Telegraph this weekend, the Mayor of London expressed his dismay with the Government's 'Energy Review', stating quite clearly that he will use his new powers to "oppose the Energy Review and work with both the public and the private sector to ensure London develops a path that is more carbon and economically efficient." Mayor Livingstone goes on to point out that "energy saving and decentralised power production are not only cheaper than nuclear power but more effective in reducing carbon emissions" and that the entire review is in fact defective due to a lack of comprehensive economic modelling. Read the entire article on the Telegraph's website.

Homes will be rated for energy consumption

Following on from Yvette Cooper's speech at the REA conference last week it is now official: All homes will be rated for energy consumption. In the same way as fridges, freezers and other household goods are labelled from A to G, the new Energy Performance Certificate will apply a similar labelling scheme to homes as part of the new Home Information Packs being introduced next June. Whilst this is an obvious step in the right direction to help house buyers determine how energy hungry their new home may be, the legislation does seem to be taking some time to work its way through to becoming real action; fuel bills are already a major consideration when buying a home and are likely to be even higher up the list of priorities by the time the Home Information Packs are introduced in June. Housing minister Yvette Cooper said that, "given the growing challenge from climate change and rising energy costs, I think people should be entitled to this kind of information about the home...