Shadow energy secretary Lisa Nandy, has cemented her reputation as a campaigner for green energy with the appointment of an ex-Greenpeace director as her new head of energy.
Joss Garman, former deputy political director for Greenpeace, will leave his current role at IPPR as associate director for energy, transport and climate change.
The Labour party have been ramping up their campaigns on the renewable energy market and climate change, blasting the government for their blasé approach to clean energy development and their misguided interest in fracking.
This new appointment will appeal to the environmentalists that so vehemently oppose the Conservative’s desire to promote fracking and nuclear energy. There is an increased desire to develop green energy and the public is displaying more concern for the environment and carbon emissions.
Garman is just another asset to the high profile shadow energy committee, which is focused on the creation of sustainable, homegrown energy including community schemes and renewables.
Nandy announced: “We want secure, affordable, energy, designed, built and owned by the people of our country, drawing on inspiration from around the world.”
A comment aimed perhaps at the government’s financial backing of the controversial Hinkley nuclear power project? There has been recent concern over the proposed project, after similar undertakings abroad ran late and way over budget.
Nandy has made no secret of her feelings towards the Tories and their recent abrupt end to the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme, saying “they are risking the UK’s economic security and the security of household budgets by pulling the rug out from domestic developers of renewable power.”
A battle of parties is set to ensue, perhaps with the backdrop of the Paris Climate Conference, as the Tories will no doubt be reprimanded for their diminishing efforts to produce clean energy and stop reliance on coal-fired plants. There is equal concern that they won’t hit carbon reduction targets.
Cue the Labour party who believe that “the age of polluting energy is over, and that the transition to a new, clean, energy model is inevitable, irreversible, universal”.
Will the conference change the government’s outlook and shift their focus from fracking to renewables? Watch this space.
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