Six-year long wait for Scottish energy efficiency plans almost over
8 October 2009
Improving energy efficiency is essential to helping Scotland achieve its climate targets and eradicate fuel poverty, said WWF Scotland today (Thursday 8 October).
The environmental organisation made the comment ahead of today’s launch of the Scottish Government’s long awaited Energy Efficiency Action Plan. [1]
Previous administrations had promised just such a plan, but none was ever produced - until now. The plans are expected to include the offer of financial loans to households to improve home insulation or take up other energy-saving measures – an idea championed by WWF for some time. [2]
Elizabeth Leighton, Senior Policy Officer at WWF Scotland said:
“We’ve waited for this plan for six years – time that could have been better used implementing energy saving and emission reduction measures. We therefore very much welcome this announcement and hope that Ministers will reveal bold initiatives that will allow Scotland to enjoy the same standard of warm, low carbon housing that other northern European countries do.
“If the Scottish Government is serious about meeting the world-leading targets set out in the Scottish Climate Change Act, then, reducing energy demand from homes will have to play a major role in this Action Plan. Homes account for one third of our carbon emissions and energy efficiency is by far the cheapest and easiest way of reducing our impact while at the same time helping to lift households out of fuel poverty.
“The use of loan schemes to improve home insulation and cut fuel bills would be a welcome move and is something we have long called for. However, our research shows that other policy initiatives will be required if we are to eliminate energy wastage in our homes and reduce climate emissions by 42 per cent by 2020.” [2]
Along with other measures, WWF is calling for:
● a comprehensive home energy retrofit strategy, to reduce emissions at least 42% by 2020.
● minimum energy efficiency standards at point of sale, rent or extension
● financial support package based on need
● council tax incentives
● street by street ‘low carbon zones’
● increased support for Community Heating schemes
● Single gateway for advice provided by the Energy Saving Trust
Notes to Editors
[1] The Scottish Government will today launch a consultation in to its Energy Efficiency Action Plan.
The recently passed Scottish Climate Change Act includes a statutory requirement to produce an Energy Efficiency Action Plan, including annual energy efficiency targets, to promote energy efficiency and improve the energy efficiency of living accommodation.
[2] In 2008 WWF Scotland produced ‘Carbon Countdown for Homes’ which called for a loan scheme to help people better insulate their homes http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/carbon_homes_2_1.pdf
[3] In July WWF Scotland, along with a number of other NGO’s released The Power of Scotland Renewed http://assets.wwf.org.uk/downloads/powerofscotlandrenewed_full.pdf Scotland’s renewable resources can meet – and exceed – our annual electricity demand through a combination of energy demand reduction and increased development of renewables leading to almost complete decarbonisation by 2030.
[4] WWF Scotland is part of Stop Climate Chaos, an alliance of development, environment and civil society groups aiming for tougher action to reduce emissions - http://stopclimatechaosscotland.org
SCCS will be helping organise a Climate Change march in Glasgow on the 5th December, 2009.
