environews uk » Government

Caroline Spelman issues ‘wake-up call’ on climate change

editor — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 15:04:51 +0000

U.K. to Cut Aviation Emissions 10% by 2020

editor — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 20:31:28 +0000

Local authorities to sell renewable electricity to Grid

editor — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:53:17 +0000

The UK Government has overturned the ban on local councils selling renewable electricity. Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has announced that councils across Britain will from 18th August be allowed to sell renewable electricity to the grid and should assume their rightful place leading a local power revolution. At present only 0.01% of electricity in England is generated by local authority-owned renewables, despite the scope that exists to install projects on their land and buildings. In Germany the equivalent figure is 100 times higher. Source: DECC

Chris Huhne announces Annual Energy Statement

editor — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:13:04 +0000

UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Chris Huhne announces the launch of the first Annual Energy Statement. He commented: "Our actions must be informed by the best information about the future. That is why I am publishing our work on 2050 energy pathways, which has been worked up in consultation with industry, scientists, engineers and economists. We are making the data and analysis available and we are inviting comments over the summer. We want to start a grown-up debate about what a low-carbon future will look like and the best way of achieving it". Source: DECC

Natural Environment White Paper discussion document launched

editor — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:38:34 +0000

School Pupils Celebrate Green Day

editor — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:28:11 +0000

DEFRA announces review of waste policy

editor — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:29:19 +0000

The UK Government has announced that it is to carry out a full review of waste policy in England, looking at the most effective ways of reducing waste, maximising the money to be made from waste and recycling, and how waste policies affect local communities and individual households. Announcing the review at the Futuresource conference, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said: "There is an economic and environmental urgency to developing the right waste strategy. We have been slowly moving in the right direction with recycling rates. The direction of travel is right - it's the pace that's the problem. We need to go faster and we need to go further". Source: DEFRA

Bonn Climate Talks make progress

editor — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:26:10 +0000

UN Climate Change Talks in Bonn have made important progress towards concluding what was left incomplete at the Copenhagen Conference in December 2009. Addressing the media on the final day of the session, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer said that progress made during the two weeks of talks opens the way for the COP 16 conference in Cancun at the end of this year to deliver the full package of operational measures that will allow developing countries to take faster, stronger action across all areas of climate change. Source: UNFCCC

Environment Secretary visits recycling scheme

editor — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 17:07:49 +0000

The UK's Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman and Communities Secretary Eric Pickles visited the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to see the authority's recycling reward scheme. The scheme rewards householders who volunteer to participate with points worth up to GBP135 a year, from over 100 reward partners including Marks & Spencer, Coffee Republic and Cineworld. Caroline Spelman commented: "Windsor and Maidenhead Council have got it right by rewarding people for voluntarily doing the right thing, not penalising them for doing the wrong thing - that is how we can change behaviour, improve the environment and get people to play their part". Source: DEFRA

Emissions rise in China

editor — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:38:46 +0000

A rise of sulphur dioxide emissions in China's air, despite emission reduction efforts, is making government officials less optimistic about achieving pollution cuts. Source: Clean Skies News