News

Energy industry reacts to shock general election result

by  •  • Comments Off

Aldersgate Group executive director Nick Molho: 

“All the main parties have shown support during the General Election campaign for the UK to put in place an ambitious climate and environmental policy agenda and seize the industrial opportunities that this represents. We therefore look forward to working with the new government and MPs from all parties to put in place ambitious policies that will help grow the UK’s low carbon sector, improve resource efficiency, enhance the natural environment and strengthen the competitiveness of the economy.

“This is a crucial time to establish policies that will improve the health of the UK’s environment and the future prospects of its economy. An important first step should be the publication in 2017 of a detailed Clean Growth Plan to attract low carbon investment and meet climate targets and a framework for a 25 Year Environment Plan to improve the state of the UK’s natural environment.”

Environment Services Association executive director Jacob Hayler:

“We look forward to working with the new government when it is in place. In order to secure maximum stability and growth for the resource and waste management industry, we would like to see it prioritise the four key recommendations ESA made in its >Resourcefulmanifesto:

1.       Transfer resource ownership from the public to sector to product supply chains by reforming Extended Producer Responsibility.
2.       Build resilient recycling and recovery markets by stimulating demand for secondary raw materials.
3.       Realise economies of scale through greater joint working.
4.       Drive waste crime out of the sector. ESA and ESA Educational Trust’s latest report Rethinking Waste Crime makes a series of recommendations for tackling this issue.

By addressing these areas, the new Government can help deliver thousands of new green jobs, provide stable economic growth, and create a healthier, more resource efficient environment.” 

RenewableUK chief executive Hugh McNeal:

“All the main political parties recognise the urgent need to provide clean, affordable power for UK consumers. 79% of the British public support renewables – people of all political persuasions – especially young voters. These technologies are delivering for today’s energy bill-payers. But the renewable industry always has its eye on the horizon, and it is looking to power economic growth, innovation and job creation, at the centre of our future energy system.

To maintain our world-beating offshore, onshore and wave and tidal sectors, we urge government to ensure a stable policy framework. With relatively simple support, in these unprecedented political times, renewable energy stands ready to deliver.”

Greenpeace UK executive director John Sauven:

“Theresa May should start by listening to her own voters, the vast majority of whom want our environmental laws to be improved not scrapped. Solar and wind power are incredibly popular, yet the government has been dithering over seriously backing both industries. It has overruled local councils to impose unpopular fracking on communities in Lancashire and Yorkshire. Concerns about air pollution have been first ignored, then thrown the sop of a toothless action plan. Big corporations like VW have been allowed to cheat on their polluting emissions with almost total impunity. And our natural environment both on land and at sea has continued to be degraded with more than one in 10 of the UK’s wildlife species threatened with extinction.

“The Conservative manifesto promised global leadership on climate and a healthier environment for the next generation. Since these goals are shared by nearly all other parties, this is something the government can and must deliver on. We’re going to hold the prime minister to her word. This would be a U-turn Britain can neither afford nor forgive.”