Chris Huhne, Lib Dem secretary of state for energy and climate change, earlier this week emailed party members with the following message, illustrating how the party is putting green policies at the heart of the Coaltion:
Today I am announcing details of the Green Deal, a new and radical way of making energy efficiency improvements available to all, whether people own or rent their properties. Through the Green Deal everyone will have a chance to save energy, cut their bills and tackle climate change, just as we promised in our manifesto.
Initially, over the next two years, we will almost double insulation rates, ensuring that an extra 3.5 million homes benefit from new installations. We are targeting support on the most vulnerable and low-income households, so that those who need it most can say goodbye to leaky lofts and chilly drafts.
Then from 2012 the Green Deal will enable all householders to improve their homes with no up-front cost, with the work being paid back from savings on energy bills. Householders will be protected by an independent energy survey and accredited installers to ensure that standards are high.
Liberal Democrats believe that no one should miss out on warmer homes. Unfortunately many private tenants were let down by Labour. Over half a million private rented homes have the very lowest F or G energy rating, and yet they benefited from only two per cent of the previous Labour scheme.
The Green Deal will change this. Landlords will face no upfront cost and will benefit from improved properties. By 2015 every tenant should be able to be warm in their home. I hope and expect that landlords will respond positively to the Green Deal. But if the evidence shows that they are failing to take up this once-in-a-generation opportunity, we will respond. If necessary we will take powers so that by 2015, any tenant who asks for a Green Deal cannot be refused. And we would give local authorities the power to insist that landlords improve the worst performing homes.
Three years ago Andrew Stunell and I wrote a paper called Climate Change Starts at Home. As with many Liberal Democrat proposals, some dismissed our proposals as radical and unworkable. It is a privilege and responsibility to now be putting our ideas into practice – a win-win-win situation for homeowners, tenants and the climate.
Best wishes,
Chris Huhne
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
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2 Comments
The provision of warmer homes targets via landlords taking action to develop and double insulation for 3.5 million householders over 2 years, should be monitored for delivery, to ensure maximum benefit for the elderly and vulnerable and those at home with chronic illnesses.
The number of of those living beyond 85 is set to grow by 50% by 2020.
The gap between life expectation of the rich and poor has widened to the greatest amount since 1921.
An increase in 6% of GDP is forcast as required by Prof. Howard Glennerster to respond to the increase in the ageing population.
This all makes the doubling of insulation and warmer homes policy of paramount concern to all voluntary organisations, including Age Concern groups, this winter.
I am saddened to see Lib Dem Voice republishing this banal and uninformative press release [why?] when you could instead have published Huhne’s speech at the LSE today which does actually contain a few useful details: http://www.richmondlibdems.co.uk/news/003064/chris_huhne_green_deal_is_a_massive_economic_opportunity.html
You could also have included a link to the stories the same day on the the Australian Green Deal, which has been abandoned because of numerous cases of cowboy workmen, fraud, etc.
The intentions are excellent but actually making it work will be very difficult.