LibDems risk their green credentials on energy

Activists will be campaigning against nuclear power and dirty gas this Sunday during the Liberal Democrats party conference debate on energy.

Dr Richard Dixon, Director of Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “The LibDems are supposed to be keeping the Coalition on track to be the ‘greenest government ever.’ It is incredible that they could think that supporting new nuclear reactors and dirty gas might be the way to do this.

”The commitment to a UK decarbonisation target as soon as possible is laudable but completely unrealistic, since UK Energy Secretary Ed Davey is instructing MPs and Peers not to fight for exactly this target in the Energy Bill. Davey is also blocking a strong renewable energy target for Europe.

“Scottish LibDems must be embarrassed that the UK conference in Glasgow is discussing a motion so out of kilter with their own views on energy and climate change. The LibDems could be the greenest of the big parties at Westminster but they will lose all credibility if they do not turn this energy motion around.”

Friends of the Earth Scotland is calling on conference delegates to make sure that Ed Davey and Nick Clegg do not turn their back on green power; they should:

allow Peers to vote for a clean power target when the Energy Bill is debated next monthoppose planned subsides for fracking and nuclear powersupport strong renewable and energy efficiency targets in Europe

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. The Conference will be discussing Green Growth and Green Jobs between 10:20 and 11:50. The motion includes support for fracking/unconventional gas and an option for supporting new nuclear power, as well as calling for a UK decarbonisation target as soon as possible. The full motion can be seen here: http://www.libdems.org.uk/siteFiles/resources/Autumn%20Conf%202013/Aut13…

2.The Scottish Liberal Democrats passed a motion against fracking at their Spring Conference.

3. Friends of the Earth Scotland is:
* Scotland’s leading environmental campaigning organisation
* An independent Scottish charity with a network of thousands of supporters and active local groups across Scotland
* Part of the largest grassroots environmental network in the world, uniting over 2 million supporters, 77 national member groups, and some 5,000 local activist groups – covering every continent.
www.foe-scotland.org.uk