IN anticipation of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference next week, it seems that every Tom, Dick and John has set out to prove their green credentials.
The 'John' to whom I refer is our former Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, who has recently secured an appointment as special representative on climate change by the Council of Europe.
Our John has ambitions to take upon himself the mantle of eco warrior Al Gore. He is advocating that Britain reject EU policy for a 20% cut in greenhouse gases by 2020 in favour of a 40% decrease. This is a ridiculously unrealistic target which, if it were to be implemented, could send Britain into an even deeper economic recession.
Over 60% of planning applications for wind turbine farms have failed because of public protest but Prescott is determined to overcome what he describes as 'nimbyism'. He is working to persuade the Government to pass legislation to make every local authority identify a site for a wind farm. Their development will be facilitated by changes in the planning law aimed at neutralising public opposition.
It would seem that Prescott has not heard that the Labour Government has decided to start listening to the people. If he had, he would realise that it is highly unlikely the people will agree to his plans to desecrate our countryside with thousands of windmills. One need only take a look at the Labour Party's 'Road to Copenhagen' campaign led by Ed Miliband, the secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, to see that their priorities lie elsewhere, like forcing us to buy energy-saving light bulbs.
Giles Chichester MEP
Conservative MEP for the South West of England and Gibraltar