UK Low Carbon Transition Plan

On Wednesday the Government announced its Low Carbon Transition Plan.

The plan covers everything from;

• The power sector
• Homes and communities
• Workplaces and jobs
• The transport system
• Farms and managing land
• Waste sustainability

So, here’s a round-up of all you need to know:

From the Government:

• DECC - Wednesday’s press release from DECC
• Carbon trust - Proof will be in the delivery of Low Carbon Strategy
• Energy Saving Trust – have not issued a press release
• Department for work & pensions – have not issued a press release
• Department for Transport – A greener future for transport
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – have not issued a press release

From the power utilities:

• Ofgem - Response to the UK Low Carbon Transition Plan
• British Gas/Centrica – have not issued a press release
• EDF – have not issued a press release
• E.On UK - It's now or never if we're to win the fight against climate change
• RWE npower - RWE npower welcomes Government plans to meet emissions targets
• Scottish Power - ScottishPower welcomes the UK Government’s Low Carbon Transition Plan
• Scottish & Southern Electricity – have not issued a press release

From the Press:

• The BBC - Low carbon way 'to reshape lives' and from BBC Parliment on iPlayer

The Broadsheets:

• The Times – Lots of articles including those on Jobs, higher energy bills and transport
• The Guardian – Green energy revolution and Government unveils sweeping plans to transform UK into low-carbon economy
• The Telegraph - Society must change to tackle global warming, says Ed Miliband

The Green Press:

• BusinessGreen - Reaction and a comprehensive round-up
• New Energy Focus - Renewable Energy Strategy published
• Recharge - UK Government unveils Renewable Energy Strategy

You may also find my list of 15 renewable energy news sources interesting.

If I have missed anything, don't hesitate to let me know.

By Katharine Robinson

Research Associate, EcoSearch

Where is the middle ground for Corporates in the current economic climate?

Here is an interesting thought for the corporate CEO out there today - which category does your company fall into?

A – Quick! We are in hunker-down mode. Let’s stop all the expansion, development and innovation initiatives and wait for the crisis to pass.

Or

B – There is a crisis. Let’s take the opportunity to change everything and see if we can be in a different place?

Your organisation’s loyal subjects, in the meantime, are confused by the sudden “brakes on” or “charge!” edicts coming down from on high. They are quietly becoming more and more frustrated. The organisation they joined now appears to be moving in a completely different direction. They can’t rationalise it and their voices go unheard along the glass and steel corridor.

I can’t tell you how many call-in conversations I’ve had this week from solid talent venting spleen about their frustrations. I’m hearing a resounding chorus of “WE ARE MISSING THE WAVE OF OPPORTUNITY”.

My advice to them, for what it’s worth, may sound clichéd but don’t jump from the frying pan into the fire. The grass is not always greener on the other side after all.

And for the CEOs - in order to keep your talent ensure you give them a voice – communication in these times is the key to keeping people motivated. These are the people you want to keep, given that you’ve no doubt streamlined recently. Attrition now is the last thing you want in your senior management teams.

That said, I’m very happy to be agony aunt in the short term to those of you with itchy feet and of course you’ll receive a discrete tap on the shoulder at an appropriate time in the future. Keep in touch with us.

By Debby Lloyd
Managing Director, EcoSearch

Green and Renewable Energy Events – August 2009

We aim to bring you a comprehensive list of all the events happening across the Renewable Energy and Cleantech sector. If we’re missing a conference, please drop us an email and we’ll update our list – it’s our way of helping you connect with the right people.

Green Drinks – London – Free
11th August 2009

Find more photos like this on GREEN DRINKS
London (Green Drinks events happen globally - more locations can be found on the website)

Green Power Academy - An Introduction to Renewables
11th & 12th August 2009
London

Green Power Academy - An Introduction to Solar technology Markets
13th & 14th August 2009
London

The Greening Southern Africa Convention & Exhibition 2009
20th & 21st August 2009
South Africa

BioEnergy 2009 - Sustainable Bioenergy Business
31st August – 4th September
Jyväskylä, Finland

A similar list will be published for September later in August. Any feedback would be welcome.

Click here for July’s Events List.

You can also download a list of events for the next 12 months.

Catlin Arctic Survey Homecoming Party - In the midst of all our money-making busyness let’s not forget Climate Change

Last week I attended the Finale Party of the Catlin Arctic Survey. The expedition was a true demonstration of tremendous human endeavour. Our congratulations go to the whole team; they are remarkable people with resilience, heart and team spirit. The results they have collected will be fed through to Copenhagen later this year. But early indications are the polar ice cap is of course thinner than expected (no surprise there really) – less than 2 metres in many places.

Anne, Martin and Pen are still recovering physically and mentally from their expedition – you can actually see and hear the physical toll it has taken on them. They are to be congratulated – sound bites from their speech last night resonated with us and give us a brief check on our daily lives - whilst on the ice the spirituality of their surroundings, the voices, sounds and ice breathing momentum was humbling and comforting.

We are incredibly lucky as a generation. I remember one morning as we watched breakfast TV from bed under a Tog 24 duvet in a centrally heated bedroom drinking tea we saw Martin squeeze his frost bitten toes into icy boots. Anyone who has over-skied on holiday and given themselves blisters will remember how painful it is to squeeze your feet into badly fitted ski hire boots on day three. Now replay that with frost bitten toes, having to sleep out in temperatures of -40 degrees and a 12 hour slogs across fractured ice ahead of you for weeks at a time.

Small acts of human kindness, such as saving your daily ration of chocolate for two days for your colleague who you can see is in deep crisis, mean the world. That chocolate was saved by Martin for Pen (not Ann – in case you were wondering about the female aspect of this trip - Girl Power!).

This project’s media exposure gave 1.6bn the opportunity to see what we are up against. We are a generation that can spread influence of our activities and make things happen if we choose to work together. We will see at Copenhagen if this is possible. I’ve no doubt the work this team have achieved will influence global resolutions on Greenhouse Gas emission regulations.

So we wait with baited breath on the next Catlin project which will no doubt expand the boundaries of climate change science again. Send in your ideas if you have any, we’ll feed them through to the team.

By Debby Lloyd
Managing Director, EcoSearch

You can view a gallary of pictures from the Ice Team's pickup.