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Posted by: Darryl on 05/05/2010

Not made up your mind who to vote for yet? James takes an impartial look at the green and environmental policies of the main parties.

I’m sure that it won’t have escaped anyone’s notice that there is a General Election this week. There has been a lot of talk recently about TV debates, style or substance, economic recovery, budget deficits etc., but what we at the Spark, and I’m sure plenty of our readers, are most concerned about are the parties different green and environmental policies. We have compiled a quick overview of four of the parties main green manifesto pledges. This will be a completely impartial look. Now I know they are only pledges easily broken, but let's put cynicism aside and take them at face value.

 

Five key manifesto pledges.

 

Conservative
1. Target an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

2. Target 15% of energy to be provided by renewable energy sources by 2010.

3. All new homes built to be energy efficient from 2016.

4. Only “clean carbon technology” coal burning power stations to be built.

5. Set up an initiative to give every household the opportunity to have up to £6,500 worth of home insulation fitted. The savings that would arise would cover the costs.

 

Liberal Democrats

1. Target a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Then a target of 100% by 2050.

2. Target 40% of UK electricity to be produced by “clean, non-carbon-emitting sources” by 2010. Then a target of 100% by 2050.

3. All new homes to be energy efficient by 2010.

4. Tax air travel per plane rather than per passenger.

5. New nuclear power plants to be opposed.

 

Labour

1. Target a 34% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Then a target of 80% by 2050.

2. By 2015 plan to create 400,000 new green jobs.

3. “Pay-as-you-save” home insulation schemes.

4. Invest £1bn of public funding in a “Green Bank” to develop development of renewable energy.

5. Push for an international agreement to cap the increase of global temperature to 2 degrees.

 

Green Party

1. Target a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the levels of 1990 by 2030. Approximately 10% a year.

2. Half of UK energy to be renewable by 2020.

3. To scrap nuclear power plants and no further investment in coal burning power stations.

4. Tax plastic bags and aim for 70% of domestic waste to be recycled by 2015.

5. Investment of £20bn over five years into renewable energy sources and green incentives

 

Remember to vote on Thursday, it’s our chance to have our voice heard and promises to be the closest election in decades. Good luck with making your choice!

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