Friends of the Earth have welcomed the Energy Select Committee report which today warned the Government needs to ensure long term planning favours the low carbon industry.

The report on the National Policy Statements (See our story ‘Nuclear plans too ambitious’) warns that planning rules could lead to a new dash for gas and stall investment to renewables. FoE backed the report and said the Government’s plans to be the ‘greenest ever’ need backing up.

Senior Economics campaigner Simon Bullock said: “MPs are right to be concerned about a new dash-for-gas – this would damage our energy security, increase carbon emissions and obstruct green energy investment. The National Policy Statement must set a cap on the amount of carbon-belching energy generation allowed in the UK – which must be linked to the Government’s climate change goals to give markets certainty about investing in green power.

“Developing our huge renewable energy potential could help get us out of the economic doldrums, wean us off fossil fuels and create new green industries and jobs – but reforming the Government’s energy policy is essential to make this a reality.”