https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/opinion/columnists/rebuild-the-economy-while-focusing-on-energy-security-as-a-key-priority-the-yorkshire-post-says-4081076
The Yorkshire Post by YP Comment
But more importantly any rebuild must be sustainable and that is why an economic recovery must be underpinned by a robust energy strategy. Renewable energy will be key to achieving this goal.
As the new report launched by Britain Remade shows, the country can unlock 70GW of renewable power by 2030 by speeding up the delivery of both onshore and offshore wind as well as utility-scale solar farms.
The Powerbook report also calls for Clean Power Zones to be established to fast-track planning approval for new clean energy projects.
Doing so would cut the amount of time it takes to build an offshore wind farm from 12 to five and a half years and bring grid investment forward by at least three years.
The reality is that the Government faces an unenviable task of fixing a broken energy market.
The windfall tax, which is both morally and politically the right policy to implement, has been cited by North Sea oil and gas operators as the reason for falling investment towards the drive to net zero.
Net zero is not a nice to have. It is a necessity. We must grasp the opportunity to secure the planet’s future while also delivering domestic energy security.
However, net zero experts need to start talking to ordinary people in a language that is understood by them. Politicians and scientists won’t be able to hector people into change.
The way forward in tackling the climate emergency is to inspire genuine change by showing a brighter, more positive future of adopting environmentally friendly policies. Striving to protect the environment has to be baked into our culture. And progress made on protecting the planet should also be noted.