Wind farms risk becoming 'redundant symbols' warns CPRE
The Telegraph|Louise Gray|July 24, 2009
Wind farms risk becoming "redundant symbols" of Government efforts to combat climate change, the Campaign to Protect Rural England has warned. ..."What is going to happen is we will end up with these monstrosities in the landscape when other renewables have been developed and they will not take them down," she said.
Wind farms risk becoming "redundant symbols" of Government efforts to combat climate change, the Campaign to Protect Rural England has warned. ..."What is going to happen is we will end up with these monstrosities in the landscape when other renewables have been developed and they will not take them down," she said.
Ed Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, wants to build thousands more onshore wind turbines as part of plans to boost the amount of energy generated from renewable resources.
However, Shaun Spiers, Chief Executive of the CPRE, said there was a risk that wind turbines will become a symbol of a token effort to tackle climate change while neglecting to make more difficult choices.
He said the Government needed to do much more to encourage people to save energy by changing the types of cars we use and insulating homes, as well as investing in renewables including wind farms, in order …
... more [truncated due to possible copyright]Ed Miliband, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, wants to build thousands more onshore wind turbines as part of plans to boost the amount of energy generated from renewable resources.
However, Shaun Spiers, Chief Executive of the CPRE, said there was a risk that wind turbines will become a symbol of a token effort to tackle climate change while neglecting to make more difficult choices.
He said the Government needed to do much more to encourage people to save energy by changing the types of cars we use and insulating homes, as well as investing in renewables including wind farms, in order to meet climate change targets.
"There is a concern that [wind farms] become a redundant symbol of our desire to do something but we are not actually doing it - then it is a nightmare vision of the future," he said.
Mr Spiers was speaking at this year's Daily Telegraph Debate at the CLA Game Fair, where around half the audience were faced with a wind farm development in their area.
Trish Pemberton, of the National Association of Wind Action Groups, said the "human right" to enjoyment of the countryside was at risk.
"What is going to happen is we will end up with these monstrosities in the landscape when other renewables have been developed and they will not take them down," she said.
However, Maria McCaffery, Chief Executive of the British Wind Energy Association, insisted that wind farms will play a key role in meeting climate change targets without ruining the countryside.
"The most emotive issue around wind farms is the visual impact," she said. "The trouble is it is not the only consideration or the most important consideration. It has to be balanced out."