Commenting on the Prime Minister’s investment into offshore wind
energy, Tom Fyans, campaigns and policy director at CPRE, the
countryside charity, said:
‘Climate change is the greatest threat to our countryside and we
cannot stand by, especially when the expected impacts of floods
and heatwaves are already having a major impact on rural
communities. Today's announcement by the Prime Minister could be
a watershed moment where political will meets decisive action to
tackle the climate emergency like the emergency it is.
‘We believe the government should also be investing in the gold
standard of renewables done well – where new investment becomes a
cornerstone of local enterprise and jobs and new schemes are
supported by or owned by local communities which deliver overall
benefits to the rural economy. It is critical that the
infrastructure built to bring the energy onshore is delivered as
sensitively as possible and these new investments must benefit
the rural and coastal communities that will host them.
‘By continuing down an ambitious path to net-zero carbon
emissions, the UK government will have real leverage to inspire
greater international climate action at the COP 26 climate
conference next year in Glasgow. We urge the Prime Minister to
continue to deliver even greater investments in the green economy
this parliament to ensure we tackle the climate emergency head
on.’
