The energy and climate change spokesmen from the three main political parties last night (April 21) argued over how to boost the approval-rate of wind farm applications and whether nuclear power is a help or a hindrance to renewables.
At an energy hustings debate, hosted by the deputy editor of the Guardian, Ian Katz, Labour's Ed Miliband, Greg Clark from the Conservatives and Simon Hughes of the Liberal Democrats, revealed how their renewable and environmental policies would prevail over the opposition's.
An audience made up of industry professionals, students and other interested parties heard how a Conservative government would “leave behind the talk and move towards action” on creating a green economy; while Labour outlined plans for a “green industrial power house” and the Liberal Democrats expressed the need for a renewable economy.
Kicking off the debate, energy secretary Ed Miliband outlined the steps Labour has taken in tackling climate change, including the introduction of the financial incentive scheme the Feed-in Tariff (see this NewEnergyFocus.com story), and claimed more money would be put into green investment in the future.
Mr Miliband said: “I am under no illusion about the scale of the task facing us in the next government – we need to make ourselves a green industrial power house.