Local councils struggling in climate change fight
October 7, 2002 12:00 AM
A West Midlands Euro-MP is urging the government to give local councils new financial incentives to improve energy efficiency following the release of figures indicating that most local authorities in the region are failing to meet official targets.
Liz Lynne says that reducing the amount of energy that is wasted is the most effective way of cutting emissions of global warming gasses that are changing the world's climate.
According to the latest DEFRA figures, less than one in three councils in the West Midlands region is on target to achieve a 30% improvement in household energy efficiency levels by 2010.
To achieve the target, which was set by the government in 1995 but is not legally binding, every council has to improve energy efficiency levels within its area by 2% a year.
But latest figures show that only 10 out of 34 councils in the West Midlands are currently on course, with the average annual improvement in the region just 1.76%.
Liz Lynne said: "Global warming threatens the future of the entire planet and must concern us all. Current droughts and crop failures in parts of Africa may be one sign of the growing problem."
"There is currently very little pressure on councils to take a lead in promoting energy efficiency, and those improvements that are being made are usually by individual householders without significant encouragement or support from councils.
“The government should speed up the pace by making the targets set for local authorities legally binding, and by offering financial rewards to those which meet them on schedule."
"Liz said that local authorities needed to take a greater lead in encouraging the take-up of innovative energy-efficient products, as well as improvements to home insulation."
"She wants every council to put in place a 10 and 20-year energy efficiency programme, and to set an example by ensuring that every public building is heated and lit in the most energy efficient manner."
"Annual Energy Efficiency Improvements by Local Authority"
"(Target: 2% per year, or 10% over five years)"
"CouncilImprovements in energy efficiency, 01/04/96 to 31/03/01Average annual improvement (%)(%) Coventry and Warwickshire Coventry3.560.712 North Warwickshire12.212.442 Nuneaton & Bedworth8.151.63 Rugby13.042.608 Stratford on Avon11.322.264 Warwick11.122.224 Average9.91.98 Herefordshire and Worcestershire Bromsgrove9.441.888 Herefordshire8.481.696 Malvern Hills10.422.084 Redditch5.61.12 Worcester10.452.09 Wychavon4.620.924 Wyre Forest9.121.824 Average8.121.62 Shropshire Bridgnorth8.181.636 North Shropshire8.591.718 Oswestry6.161.232 Shrewsbury and Atcham16.423.284 South Shropshire8.411.682 Telford and Wrekin12.162.432 Average9.992 Staffordshire Cannock Chase3.390.678 East Staffordshire4.140.828 Lichfield8.11.62 Newcastle under Lyme9.21.84 South Staffordshire10.222.044 Stafford4.60.92 Staffordshire Moorlands4.140.828 Stoke on Trent9.871.974 Tamworth6.431.286 Average7.411.48 West Midlands Conurbation Birmingham9.291.858 Dudley17.083.416 Sandwell9.011.802 Solihull5.791.158 Walsall7.311.462 Wolverhampton13.822.764 Average10.382.08 Regional Average8.821.76
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