Extreme Weather Events? - MPs will fix it!

11.19.19am GMT Wed 9th Nov 2005

Andrew Stunell supports greener energy

Amidst the rows about the new Terrorism Laws, the ministerial resignations, and the newspaper headlines, one group of MPs has been quietly beavering away on two new Acts of Parliament designed to cut your fuel bills, save carbon dioxide emissions, and slow down global warming.

Britain's Chief Scientific Officer says global warming is the biggest problem facing the planet. Hurricanes and floods, hot summers, and very wet winters are reinforcing the message. Sometimes it seems as though the problem is so big we cannot do anything about it, but that is not true at all. In fact, there is a lot we can fix, and in many cases it will save money when we do, and not cost the earth.

Now back benchers from all parties are pushing forward two new Bills that will lead to much more efficient heating in homes in the future, and better insulated buildings, too. We've got tired of waiting for action by the government. Since they signed up to the Kyoto Agreement there has been plenty of talk, but not nearly enough action. The frustrating thing is that experience shows that when given the chance the public is happy to play its part - the huge success of recycling in Stockport just shows what can be done. But people need to know what to do, and they need it to be made as simple as possible to do it. With electricity and gas prices shooting up it is a good moment to point people in the right direction.

Having got my own Sustainable Buildings Act passed last year, I am now backing the 'Microgeneration Bill' in this session of Parliament. In fact there are two similar Bills, and I am a sponsor for them both. It is always good to see commonsense measures getting the backing of MPs from every party - a reminder that we can work together and are not always at each other's throats. Unfortunately, though, it isn't completely unanimous, and there is still a long way to go to get ministers and their civil servants signed up. The good news is that they are making the right noises (again!), but the key question is will they be ready to put the new laws into action, or will they be left to gather dust?

My thanks to residents from across the borough who have been in touch with ideas for tougher environmental rules. Some ideas would take decades to put in place - but these two bills could start to make a difference within 12 months. You may never see another news headline about them, but it is a good example of the truth that good news is less interesting than bad!

Of course these bills won't fix global warming by themselves, but they are very useful steps on the way. So keep your fingers crossed that they survive the Parliamentary jungle.