Cautious welcome for Brown's green vision

Green campaigners and the renewables industry welcomed Gordon Brown's speech today outlining his vision to make Britain a low carbon nation and recommitting Britain to the European target to generate 20% of energy from renewable sources by 2020, but they urged the prime minister to back his words with urgent action.

Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said: "Brown now appears to be serious about meeting the binding EU renewables targets. But more debate won't get us there. Action is what counts, not words. No investment will take place off the back of a speech alone.

"We can meet ambitious renewable energy targets if Britain deploys all the industrial innovation and determination for which our country was once famous. We need to find, fund and fast-track the Brunels of the 21st century. This will mean a joint effort from private sector and government, and a renewable industrial policy for Britain."

He added that there would need to be house-clearing in some Whitehall departments, where too many officials have blocked progress on renewables and energy efficiency for too long.

"Ministers will need to support policies that will propel Britain from the bottom to the top of the renewable energy league table. We need to follow the example of countries like Germany in developing the cutting edge technologies that can beat climate change. If we succeed the benefits for the economy and jobs will be enormous," Mr Sauven added.

Reports last month suggested the government was on the verge of dropping the 20% renewable energy target. Most of Britain's contribution to Europe's 20% renewable energy target will be delivered as electricity. Heat and transport will be more limited in the UK. The European 20% target will translate into roughly 15% total energy for the UK, which will require around 40% of renewable electricity to be delivered. Other EU countries will have different targets depending on their energy mix, but collectively targets across the EU will amount to 20%.

Friends of the Earth called for Brown words to be matched by a strengthening of legally-binding targets for cutting CO2 emissions to at least 80% by 2050 in proposals for Britain's climate change bill, which is due to be discussed by Parliament next week.

"After a summer of lobbying, wriggling, and confusion, the Government's apparent change of heart on renewable power is fantastic news, but will only be credible if new policies emerge to actually meet targets. Britain lags a long way behind most of our European neighbours on renewable power, despite having the greatest wind, wave and tidal resource in Europe," said a FoE spoeksperson.

It wants government to expand offshore wind tenfold by 2020, increase tenfold research and development into new technologies such as wave, solar and energy storage, and to scrap plans for airports expansion and motorway widening schemes,

The RSPB called for renewables not to come at the expense of wildlife. Dr Mark Avery, the charity's conservation director said: "In Scotland, existing renewables targets could be met many times over without building wind farms on sites that are protected by wildlife law. In England, the RSPB's work with the developers of the London Array wind farm showed how huge renewable developments need not come at the expense of wildlife."

The Centre for Alternative Technology said that Brown should go further than the 20% target and strive for a zero carbon Britain producing all our own energy and food from without our own borders and switching to 100% renewable power within 20 years.

The Renewables Industry welcomes Gordon Brown's restated commitment to the 20% renewable energy target, but awaits the hard measures to bridge the gap between the rhetoric and the UK's slow progress in making it happen."It is a relief that the Prime Minister has reconfirmed our commitment to the EU 20% target", said Philip Wolfe, Chief Executive of the Renewable Energy Association. "This means dramatic changes to our energy and transport systems, built environment, and agriculture.""However, after 10 years of talk a huge gap has opened up between the political rhetoric on climate change and the reality of wholly inadequate policy and financial support. The Prime Minister set out the right direction of travel in his speech; if he's serious he'll take the opportunity to deliver a step change for renewables in the forthcoming legislative programme."Mr Wolfe said the industry wanted to see in the forthcoming Energy Bill support for onsite renewable technologies, which can deliver renewable energy to homes, businesses and industry. The REA believes a feed-in tariff could work very successfully for onsite technologies.It also calls for the inclusion of CO2 reduction to be included in the remit of the energy regulator. Ofgem's primary remit is competition, which means that renewable energy (including heat) is systematically marginalised by the energy system and the system is not developing to support the switch to a low-carbon economy.

Commenting on the PM's speech, Liberal Democrat shadow environment secretary, Chris Huhne said: "It's good news that the Government will not renege on its EU renewable energy targets. But we need to look at the small print to see whether Mr Brown is really prepared to meet 20% of our energy from renewables without counting nuclear power as the French are doing."

He added: "The Government blithely talks of the opportunities created by green industries yet refuses to promote fledgling initiatives properly.

"Brown's admission that the 60% reduction in carbon emissions may not be enough is welcome but long overdue. The target must be increased to at least 80% to reflect the most up to date science."

On the government's proposed new Green Home Service, Mr Huhne said recent cuts to grants will dissuade many homeowners from installing energy saving measures in their homes.

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