Broadly speaking I welcome the decision of the ERYC to sign up to the Nottingham Declaration. By signing the declaration it shows the Council accepting that climate change is occurring now, and its effects will be far reaching.
The declaration includes a commitment to reduce emissions in line with Government targets, to help local residents and businesses reduce energy costs, and encourage all sectors in the local community to take the opportunity to assess, and adapt to reduce their own greenhouse gases.
The ERYC have my support in this as I have said previously: That there should be incentives to actually save energy. This can be done through encouraging (and financing) energy savings in buildings both new and old, as well as educating people in the simple measures that can save power, such as reducing the amount of appliances left on standby mode and the use of low energy light bulbs.
This issue is about more than just Wind Energy, and that larger picture is what the ERYC has signed up to with this agreement. Wind Energy is not a problem free solution and care should be taken in the siting of windfarms, the general opinion seems to be “site wind turbines where the wind is consistent and where the impact on communities is minimal, with offshore Windfarms being the favoured option”. There are those who would like to see the county blighted with windfarm after windfarm, whatever the prevailing conditions and the effect on neighbouring communities, all I would say is that there has to be a balance between the benefits and the detrimental impact on the countryside.
"Personally, I feel the East Riding, with its long length of coastline and tidal rivers could, and perhaps should be at the pioneering edge of tidal power development, but this will need support of Central Government. The signing of the Nottingham Declaration may be the first step in the ERYC developing a holistic energy policy, which must include both energy generation and energy conservation as they now accept are inextricably linked. This policy could be innovative and forward looking, and may well ultimately have the consent of the masses".
For more information on the Nottingham Declaration visit:
http://www.lga.gov.uk/Documents/Briefing/Our_Work/Environment/Nottdeclaration.pdf
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