Tuesday 21 October 2014
Four British cities have sent Prime Minister David Cameron a letter asking him to back an “ambitious, binding energy efficiency target” for 2030 in the EU.
Bristol, Aberdeen, Leicester and Milton Keynes are members of Energy Cities, a European association of local authorities.
On October 23-24, European leaders will vote on bringing in a target of reducing energy demand by 30% by 2030. There are calls to boost this to 40%.
A more ambitious target would send a signal to investors, argues the cities’ letter. It calls on David Cameron to back the move “not primarily to save energy or comply with international targets but first and foremost to save jobs, competitiveness and the well-being of our citizens”.
Energy Cities’ Executive Director Claire Roumet said: “Cities across the EU have cut costs, created growth and reduced consumer bills by investing in sustainable energy. They cannot sustain their efforts with watered-down energy efficiency policies. If the UK government is serious about its ambitions to become a world leader on green growth, it’s time to match rhetoric with action.”