As this item is published the United Nations will be starting its climate change summit in Paris.

Britain was on target to have 15% of our overall energy needs coming from from renewable sources by 2020 which would mean that 30% of our electricity needs to be generated from renewables, since transport and heating are more likely to continue to use fossil fuels. This is the least that can be done to avoid average global temperatures to rising by more than 2 degrees Celsius which would be irreversible. Britain was on target but the Government seems to have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory by cutting the incentives for wind and solar power.

I have met recently with our MP, Sheryll Murray who to her credit was well informed about renewable energy and energy security. However, her track record is very much towards following the party line rather than making representations on behalf of her constituents. She supports the government’s intention to build more gas-fired power stations powered by gas from fracking.

David Skelton

If you are interested in reading more about the Climate Change issue, we have recently seen a couple of good articles in the Economist online:

Clear Thinking Needed (link here… )
To quote from the article – “That climate change is happening, that it is very largely man-made and that it is exceedingly dangerous, are all now hard to deny (though America’s leading Republican presidential candidates routinely try). This year will all but certainly be the hottest since 1880, when NASA’s records begin. If so, 2015 will break a record that was set only in 2014. Every single year so far this decade has been hotter than every single year before 1998”

Hot and Bothered (link here… )
Not much has come of efforts to prevent climate change so far. Mankind will have to get better at tackling it—but must also learn to live with it, says Joel Budd
Join South Hill Association for Renewable Energy… membership form is here
Download the application form from the web site or email SHARE@south-hill.co.uk

If you wish to investigate what other local groups are saying about various aspects of sustainability, here are two suggestions:

Saltash Environmental Action – SEA – Saltash in Transition Working together for a world where all share responsibitity for the future well being of our planet and ourselves. We aim to reduce our energy consumption and provide access to good local food.
Also on Facebook and at seasaltash.blogspot.co.uk

Transition Tavistock – Working towards a sustainable future for Tavistock and District
Recent article on their website, couldn’t have put it better myself:  Changes to FiT tariffs will have a big impact
Also on Twitter @transitiontavi and Facebook.