General Election 2010 What the Parties Say – Environment

The Conservative Party – Environment Make 34% less greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and 80% by Offer every household the right to have up to £6,500 worth of home insulation, with payment back from the savings the home makes in bills. Start a "Green Investment Bank" to encourage companies to put money into inventing ‘green’ technology. Encourage homes to make their own power. Make people have meters which tell them how much power they are using and enable people to choose to take more renewable energy. Help pay for a network of large-scale wave farms on the coast to make power. Help build new nuclear power plants more quickly. Only allow coal-fired power stations to be built which will not make pollution. Cut the government’s carbon emissions by 10% within 12 months. Begin a national recharging network for electric and plug-in hybrid cars. Make sure all new homes are energy efficient from 2016.

The Labour Party – Environment Cut greenhouse gases by 34% by 2020 and 80% cut by Spend £2 billion on a "Green Bank" to encourage companies to produce and use renewable energy. Encourage the building of new, better and cleaner nuclear power stations. continue to increase a tax which forces electricity companies to use renewable energy. Make energy companies use ‘smart meters’, which tell you how much energy you are using, for all homes by Offer every household the right to have home insulation, with payment back from the savings the home makes in bills. Ensure all new homes are energy efficient from 2016.

The Liberal Democrats – Environment 40% reduction in greenhouse gases emissions by 2020 rising to 100% by 2050; As Britain becomes richer, the tax on fuel will be increased. All homes to have good insulation within 10 years. All new homes to be energy efficient from 2010; Offer to lend money to families to make their homes save energy. Tax the number of aeroplanes not the numbers of passengers. Tax flights between British cities to encourage people to use trains. Make sure every home has a ‘smart meter’ to tell them how they are using energy, within 5 years. Make sure renewable energy is used. Not open any new nuclear power plants. All new coal-fired power plants should be clean.

The Green Party – Environment Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2030, or about 10% per year. Half of the energy used in the UK should come from renewable energy sources by Spend £45 billion on renewable energy sources, new meters for people to see how they use energy and for help with people to make their own energy. Homes, schools and hospitals should save more energy.

UKIP – Environment Do not believe that man has hurt the environment. Do not agree with taxes which encourage people to be ‘Green’. Against the building of wind farms; Support building new nuclear power stations on existing sites and new clean coal power stations. Reduce pollution and encourage recycling; Invest in technology to make cars more efficient and cut fuel emissions.