E3G

Energy, Politics, and Poverty

By Chris Littlecott

A better UK energy policy

11. Invest substantially in Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) as a matter of urgency;

12. Increase investment in renewable energy-related research and development, with national application of the targets recently set by the EU;

13. Encourage energy efficiency through government support for research and development and/or through regulatory reform;

14. Better situate policies of infrastructure development and diversification of suppliers in an EU framework which includes the development of inter-connectors and storage;

15. Make a clear decision on nuclear energy and if nuclear capacity is to be replaced, act now to ensure standardisation of technology, support for planning applications, and clarity over treatment of nuclear in climate change targets and policy. If nuclear is not to be replaced, commence a massive investment in low-carbon alternatives such as renewables.

Development Assistance

16. UK should work to put adaptation at the heart of development assistance programming, ensuring that aid and climate change policies seriously appraise and respond to existing risks and changes in environment, water supply, and agriculture, in the poorest countries of the world;

17. Britain and the EU should take the lead in developing the capacity of countries in sub-Saharan Africa to carry out the meteorological monitoring needed to anticipate threats posed by climate change;

18. The UK and EU should push for an EITI-plus embedded in a New Compact with China, India as partner-donors. This would focus on support to resource-rich developing countries for improved implementation, not least with bilateral programmes at the country level.