Last week, columnist Leo McKinstry suggested in his ten-pronged emergency plan for Britain’s economy, published in Daily Express on 10 Oct 2011, that the green agenda be abandoned in the current economic recession. A day later, Lord Young, the former Trade & Industry Secretary, echoed in The Times (11 Oct) that this was no time to waste our money on windmills. In their views, promoting renewable energy simply represents the triumph of scientific uncertainty but “cripples us economically” as it is destroying our industries and pushing up our utility bills. I consider this opinion completely ludicrous. Instead, the green agenda should be the key to economic recovery.
It is overly erroneous to relinquish green energy whenever the economic data does not look good. Undeniable are some contributions of carbon permits and green levies to the monetary costs of production. Analysts told us the rising energy bills are due to rumours which Norway was planning to divert Europipe for Germany and some unexpected operational problems from ConocoPhillip’s Theddlethorpe gas terminal. Added to these is the surging demand for gas after conflicts in Libya, tsunami in Japan and the prediction that we will experience arctic weather again this winter. But in fact, the most fundamental cause is the scarcity and exhaustibility of our oil, gas and coal. It does explain the widespread fear of energy supply shortfall.
A leaked memo from Downing Street has warned that consumer energy bill will increase by 30% by 2020 if nothing is to be done. By that time, it is likely that our economic performance should be much better. Although average household income will have increased, the income-fuel cost ratio will remain more or less the same. According to McKinstry’s logic, does it mean abandoning green agenda will no longer be an emergency but a permanent plan?
If this is the case, we should not expect to benefit from renewables anytime in our generation as other countries can follow suit.
McKinstry proposed to the ministers to consider “cheap energy” like shale gas. The true cost of drilling shale is not “cheap” as seen in north-eastern Pennsylvania in summer 2009 where tens of thousands of gallons of drilling water that had been stored on the well pad spilled, leaking downhill into the trees and ponds in residents’ gardens. The spill ruined a 50-feet (15m) swath of forest and affected the water. The ponds have become lifeless, and the bass and perch that accompanied fishers are gone. Does it sound like an inland version of the great oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico? If the ministers find this idea lucrative, they need to rethink.
Scepticism on the cause of climate change is no fresh idea from groups of hardliners. When they are questioning scientists and green activists if they are certain about the role of carbon in driving global climate change, are they “absolutely certain” that the main cause of global warming is not carbon? Till this moment, no scientists can provide an answer that can definitely stand the test of time. However, one thing is certain. Before that answer comes, being precautious is always better than not as some human impacts to the environment are already irrecoverable. Even if it turns out this “scientific theory” is exaggerative, the world has nothing to lose with a better environment to live in.
Green agenda should be the locomotive to save us from continuous stagnancy while traditional industries are being fatigue. Specific to lowering energy bills, it is now a good time to further promote renewables by supporting distributed generation at community level as well as accelerating the development of European super smart grid. This is the only way in which we can enjoy low-cost, low-carbon and secure energy. Do readers remember how the car manufacturing industry boosted the world’s economy in olden days? Likewise, these local but pan-European projects can fuel green growth, stimulating local economy and revitalising the associated financing and professional services. New jobs to be created would be sufficient to substantially bring down the record-high unemployment rate. I suppose this is exactly how a “Big Society” should start with.
This article was first published at http://www.chineseforlabour.org/chinese-for-labour/our-blog and http://www.dragonpagetech.com/chinese-in-action/chinese-in-politics.
Email me at winstonkm.mark@googlemail.com
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