the Carbon Challenge

Is a "nudge" enough...?

Now, before I update you on the coverage we achieved during last week's Energy Saving Week, I thought I'd quickly mention the Local Government Association climate change debate that I took part in last Wednesday (22nd October 2008).

The debate was entitled "Is a Nudge Enough? Can Climate Change be Tackled Without Government Intervention?"  Now, you may be wondering what is meant by "nudge" in this context - well, the idea stems from two economic professors (based at the University of Chicago) who proposed that rather than government telling people how to live their lives – they should look instead to encourage or “nudge” people to live that way.  You can find out more about the ‘Nudge’ theory by clicking here

With panellists including Greg Barker MP, Conservative Shadow Minister of State for Climate Change, Michael Meacher MP, former Labour Minister for the Environment and Liberal Democrat Councillor Alexis Rowell of Camden Council, the debate was lively and wide ranging. Cllr. Alexis Rowell noted that councils can do more, perhaps more than anyone, to lead in this fight, and pointed out many of the excellent examples of work being done by Camden Council in this area. I have to agree with his mantra of 'insulation, insulation, insulation' as one of the key solutions in solving climate change. It may not be the sexiest of products, but there is no point in doing the flashy stuff like solar PV, or ground source heat pumps unless a property is properly insulated.  Pleasingly - despite Greg Barker and Michael Meacher having different political persuasions they both agreed that the government needs to show leadership and be prepared to expend political capital for the good of the environment. They further agreed that we have reached the point where regulations and frameworks are not enough - actual visible, coherent and long-term action is required to really get to the heart of this global issue. Greg Barker noted that the credit crunch should be used to encourage people to work towards a solution to climate change rather than to take this agenda off the table. Questions from the floor that stirred debate included how councils could be encouraged to pursue environmentally focused ends, and what role the government and the LGA has in encouraging councils and highlighting new technologies and methods for tackling climate change. The event was a great success and attracted in excess of sixty attendees, many of whom stayed to discuss the issues raised during the debate at the reception afterwards. Of course debate and discussion won't itself cut carbon, so it is imperative that our focus remains on encouraging and promoting the actions that will help us to meet the 80 per cent CO₂ reduction target by 2050.

Oh - and you may be wondering -was there any agreement to the specific debate question "Is a nudge enough? Can Climate Change be Tackled Without Government Intervention?" Well, from my own perspective whilst government - whether nationally, or locally - needs to set an example, it is down to each of us to be responsible for ensuring that we live our lives in the most low carbon way possible. Perhaps then something a bit stronger than a "nudge" is needed! Maybe a "push" or "shove" is more in order?!

 

Energy Saving Week - part 1!

Phew – well, it’s nearly the end of another successful Energy Saving Week, and whilst I promise to give you a full round up next week of the key media highlights and successes, I thought I would take the opportunity to quickly mention two other stand-out events of the week.

If you managed to catch the highlights of Prime Minister’s Questions on the news this week, you may already know about the first one – especially if you spotted a flash of very bright green just behind David Cameron.

This was intrepid Conservative MP Bill Wiggin, who was the only MP courageous enough to sport one of the ties were giving to MPs to show their support for Energy Saving Week. I understand that Mr Cameron was somewhat startled by Mr Wiggin’s attire when he turned round at one point during the session! But here at the Energy Saving Trust we are delighted that he so publicly demonstrated his support for our message that energy efficiency is cheapest and cleanest way to cut your carbon emissions and your energy bills.

Bill Wiggin MP (unfortunately without the green tie!)

As well as giving this message to the public, we also want to make sure that MPs are aware of this important issue and indeed, pass on good advice to their constituents. So during this Energy Saving Week, we held two advice stands, complete with Energy Doctors, in Parliament, giving information to MPs and the many other people who work there.

We were pleased to receive a visit to the stand from Energy and Climate Change Minister Joan Ruddock MP (pictured here with our Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Chris Watt – sporting one those ties so you can see just how bright they were – Energy Doctor Salim Njonga and Shelley Green from our Consumer Marketing team).

I

n all, we gave some 80 of the ties to MPs who support Energy Saving Week. But sadly only Bill Wiggin was brave enough to wear one on national television!

The second event - a real coup for us – took place on Monday, when I invited local authorities from across England to join me for a roundtable discussion with Iain Wright MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. The event focused on the challenges local authorities face, what role they see themselves playing in reducing emissions, what barriers they have faced and how Government can help local authorities going forward.

The local authority roundtable in action

One of the outcomes from the event was in showing that local authorities do need and want leadership from government and other local authorities on the ‘green’ agenda - and that working in partnership with other organisations is crucial to tackling the issue of climate change. Another issue discussed was the problems local authorities face when trying to install renewable technology in their area.

I was also pleased the local authorities present were in agreement that the issue of climate change needs to be raised, and that to secure real progress involves us all working together to win hearts and minds.

Anyway, as I promised at the beginning of my rather long post, I shall send round the key media highlights and successes early next week. I won’t give away any more information – other than to say we even secured coverage in the Daily Sport. This surely has to be a first for any environmental organisation?!

On the road (again!)

I can’t remember who it was said that a week was a long time in politics, well I can assure you that after three weeks on the Party Conference road it seems like an eternity, not only because of the succession of meetings, fringe events, snack food, early starts and late nights, but also it’s amazing reflecting on the last three weeks what has fundamentally changed in the political landscape.

The Lib Dems met in Bournemouth and I have to say it was a fairly muted event, easy going, low security but somewhat reflected by the weather in being rather grey and overcast.  EST had a really good and well attended fringe with Steve Webb on Developing Low Carbon Citizenship.  There was lots of fringe enthusiasm generally, although my perspective would be that the environment was not so far up the agenda as in previous years with the Lib Dems.   This I think was also reflected in the Green Standard, a review of the state of the Parties regarding the environment co-ordinated by Green Alliance.  I thought Vince Cable made an excellent speech which somewhat over-shadowed that of his leader Nick Clegg, fully of good common sense, provocative where necessary, but as always with the Shadow Chancellor, difficult to avoid the thrust of his major arguments particularly around financial probity both personally and collectively.

A move onto Labour’s conference at Manchester, which unsurprisingly was a much higher profile affair, once again bringing the centre of Manchester to a complete standstill much to the annoyance of Mancuians I spoke to!  I am not sure personally that re-directing the conference to Manchester has been quite a successful as the Party of the North had hoped, anyway, apart from the infamous 3am press conferences following the drinking and the occasional debate we ran a good couple of fringes ourselves, the highlight of which was one with the Environment Secretary of State Hilary Benn.  However, I have to say that in many respects the minds of the delegates appeared to be elsewhere rather inward looking, again in weather terms cloudy, occasionally sunny but never any chance of full sunshine.

Finally, via a brief trip back to the office, to Birmingham and the Conservatives.  I was fully expecting it to be a rather more gun ho affair than it turned out to be.  George Osbourne, seriously serious, David Cameron, seriously statesman like, but the party literally was rather muted.  Some welcome news on transport and aviation, a sign of some brave decision making perhaps but disappointment that no commitment is given to increasing the amount of Green Taxes, particularly around high emitting passenger vehicles.  A lively couple of fringes, particularly one with Charles Hendry on the Renewables 2020 Action Plan which was launched at each conference by the Renewable Energy Association and the Royal Society of Arts where we have had some considerable input into contents.  Go to www.thersa.org\energy2020 to view.

Charles Hendry the Shadow Energy spokesman was really on message with regard to energy efficiency and micro generation and surprisingly sceptical about large scale infrastructure projects so hope for the future!  But again following a sunny start it began to drizzle.  I only caught the text so the transcript and the highlights of Cameron’s speech, that was the one on the last day by the way, I think it set some sort of record speaking every day, but it was noticeable that with one exception the environment featured very little serving only as a back drop to re-enforce the context around poverty and community.  I fear we have a job in the current climate in all partners that has got to get it back up, the Government and Oppositions agenda.  Anyway here’s to better food, no alcohol and sound sleeping before getting back into the fray.