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Capital markets in the spotlight in fight against climate change – 07 September 2010
Greg Barker launched the Capital Markets Climate Initiative (CMCI) at the London Stock Exchange today, where he highlighted the City of London’s potential to become a global hub for green finance and why low carbon investment is a huge opportunity for the UK’s financial services industry.
The CMCI aims to help unlock the private sector’s ability to help meet the $100 billion of new green investment required annually by 2020 to tackle climate change in developing countries.
Greg Barker said:
"The vital role of capital markets in tackling climate change has been overlooked for far too long. The finance needed to help developing countries become low carbon isn’t flowing at the rate and scale needed.I have convened today’s meeting to bring together our key players from the City and internationally to help drive green economic investment."
Boost for school solar power - 06 September 2010
Greg Barker visited Birchwood High School in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire today - the first school to benefit from a new scheme offered by renewable technology enabler, Our Generation.
The private sector funding has been secured by Our Generation as a result of the Government’s Feed in Tariff, launched in April of this year. It will enable hundreds of schools throughout Britain to have solar electricity systems installed free of charge and low-cost fixed price energy for 25 years.
Greg Barker said;
“The school children at Birchwood High are showing how going green is not only good for the planet but makes good financial sense too. Feed-in tariffs have given a much needed boost to the industry with great take up so far. The £50m investment being announced today by Our Generation means lots more schools across the country are going to be able to benefit from clean energy and lower fuel bills."
Local authorities to sell renewable electricity - 18 August 2010
The Energy Secretary has overturned the ban on councils selling renewable electricity.
Councils across Britain will now be allowed to sell renewable electricity to the grid and should assume their rightful place leading a local power revolution, Chris Huhne has said in a letter to all local authorities.
At present only 0.01% of electricity in England is generated by local authority-owned renewables, despite the scope that exists to install projects on their land and buildings.
50 days for businesses to register with carbon cutting scheme - 11 August 2010
With just 50 days to go until the end of registration for the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC), Greg Barker is calling on the remaining organisations to register now. Launched in April 2010 the CRC requires large public and private sector organisations to register with the Environment Agency by 30th September 2010.
Greg Barker, Energy and Climate Change Minister, said;
“The CRC will encourage significant savings through greater energy efficiency and importantly will make carbon a boardroom issue for many large organisations."
The London Fire Brigade is one organisation that has registered for the CRC. Energy efficiency projects put in place by the Brigade have led to savings of £260,000 in 2009/10 and over £1 million since the Brigade started focusing on the need to be greener. Despite the organisation growing overall carbon emissions on their buildings are down by over 18% on 1990s levels.
Spotlight on Whitehall energy waste - 05 August 2010
Energy meters in all 18 Whitehall headquarters can now be tracked by the public online in real time, Greg Barker and Francis Maude have announced.
The real time display innovation has been fast tracked in just three months since the Prime Minister announced central government would cut emissions by 10% over the next year.
Going public about how much energy is being wasted is the first step to changing staff behaviour across the government estate.
DECC was at the forefront of the drive to show its energy when the Department's real time display went live on the DECC website in June.
Annual Energy Statement - 27 July 2010
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne set out 32 actions being taken to accelerate the transformation of the energy system and wider economy, in the first ever Annual Energy Statement to Parliament today.
Groundbreaking ‘2050’ analysis has been published alongside the Statement, including six illustrative ‘pathways’ showing that meeting the target of an 80% cut in emissions by 2050 is ambitious but achievable, and compatible with maintaining security of energy supplies.
A new online ‘2050 Calculator’ was also launched, that enables the public to explore the trade-offs in building a 2050 energy system.