The Assembly passed a motion setting out a four-point action plan for central government that would help London achieve a sixty per centcut in CO2 emissions by 2025.
Proposer Darren Johnson said: “I am delighted the Assembly backed this motion, which recognises that London is leading the way on climate change despite the lack of ambition, and bad decisions being taken, at a national level. Government must follow London’s lead by adopting tough targets and abandoning nuclear in favour of truly renewable energy. Without Government action to introduce carbon pricing, simplify and encourage the connection of decentralised energy to power supplies, and to renew the national grid through the introduction of large scale renewables and carbon capture technologies, London will not hit its target of cutting CO2 emissions by 60 per cent by 2025, despite the good work being done here.”
Mike Tuffrey moved an amendment to the motion, which was agreed. He added “Nuclear power is not the solution to tackle climate change. It is incredibly unsustainable and there is no technological solution for the waste, which lasts thousands of years.”There is nothing new, clean, modern or changed about nuclear power and the Government’s decision to go down this route is seriously flawed.”
The full text of the amended motion is: “This Assembly welcomes the Mayor’s ambition to cut London’s CO2 emissions by 60% by 2025. However, it recognises that a significant proportion of emissions reductions can only be achieved through action at a national level. Therefore it calls on the Government to:
- Introduce a comprehensive and effective system of carbon pricing across all sectors, following the principle of ‘polluter pays’.
- Promote the widespread rollout of decentralised energy by simplifying the process of connecting CCHP to the grid, including fair payment for electricity sold to the grid.
- Significantly reduce the carbon intensity of thenational grid by making it easier and more financially attractive to install large-scale renewables, and by promoting carbon capture and storage.
- Make substantial investment in renewable energy technologies and not to proceed with the development of a new generation of nuclear power stations.
The meeting can be viewed via webcast at: http://www.london.gov.uk/assembly/webcasts.jsp