03 March 2004 07:20
TIME TO CHANGE A FLAWED POLICY
The democratic way of overcoming public opposition to controversial policies is by persuasive argument. Only
dictators have to resort to "eliminating" those who disagree with them. Yet that sinister word was prominently
used yesterday, in a document to promote a huge increase in windfarm development across Britain. The Renewables
Innovation Review, conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Carbon Trust, warned that Government
targets to increase renewable power could only be met if public opposition to the turbines is to be
"eliminated." It's not entirely clear what was meant by the use of such an emotive word but it hardly
inspires confidence in the planning process as more windfarms are proposed in ever more sensitive locations. What is
clear is the blinkered determination with which the Government is racing to build more and bigger turbines across
Britain's windiest areas. And here too is further proof of their single-minded efforts to sign up to an ill-thought
out "green" agenda which will, in reality, have little impact on global attempts to save the planet from
greenhouse gases.
Energy Minister Stephen Timms, the windfarm zealot who recently urged power companies to go out and build their
massive turbines with full Government backing, has apparently welcomed the report and its alarming suggestion that
opposition to wind power be eliminated, saying it confirms the Government's wind power targets are
"achievable." But if they are achievable only by eliminating the public opposition is Mr Timms prepared to see
those questioning voices silenced? Is he so determined to see ten per cent of Britain's energy needs met by
renewables by 2010 that he is ready to forgo the usual democratic process, whereby opposition gets its say and an
independent judgment is reached on each individual case? Or does he, as this report suggests, intend to ride roughshod
over the perfectly reasonable concerns of country people facing the prospect of huge, intrusive and noisy wind turbines
in sensitive and beautiful locations? The quest to provide more of Britain's energy through sustainable means is a
reasonable one. The headlong rush to build onshore windfarms in attractive upland areas to win international brownie
points for the Government and make the power companies rich is totally unreasonable particularly when onshore turbines
have been discredited as inefficient in Germany and Denmark. And while Russia and the United States refuse to sign up to
the Kyoto protocol on reducing global fossil fuel emissions, anything we do here in the Westcountry will make next to no
difference to greenhouse gases and global warming.
That's one of the points the many opponents to building more and bigger turbines consistently make. They also
question the need to concentrate windfarm development onshore, when offshore windfarms, wave power, solar power and a
number of other technologies offer more effective generation potential with far fewer risks to the environment. And,
they want to know, is it really fair for a major tourist destination like the Westcountry to have to find room for
hundreds of new turbines, putting the holiday trade at risk? The Government and the wind energy lobby had been arguing,
not terribly successfully, that windfarms were totally benign and should be welcomed with open arms by a grateful
nation. They now appear to have switched tack and instead of engaging with the protesters and the wind power sceptics,
they want them "eliminated." That marks a worrying change of approach which is totally unacceptable.
This report highlights other barriers to the successful implementation of a wind power policy, from what are
euphemistically called "aviation issues" to a costly upgrade of the national grid. But it's clear to
anyone that the biggest hurdle lies on overcoming public opposition. The Government has already earmarked GBP2 million
for a "communication campaign." Not so subtle PR messages - like the turbine alongside the London Eye and TV
sponsorship featuring forests of wind turbines - have already been launched. Yet opposition to onshore wind power
appears to be growing, not decreasing. The Government could adopt a reasonable approach to that opposition, instead of
using threatening talk about "elimination." A far better response would be to moderate its wind energy policy
because it is deeply flawed and increasingly unpopular. But to do that would mean ministers - including the Prime
Minister - admitting they were wrong. And how likely is that?
[Western Morning News] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
