The Labour Party is aiming to create one million additional “green jobs” and establish the UK as a “world leader” in low carbon technologies over the next decade.
Labour included the targets in its 2015 election manifesto, launched today (Monday) by party leader Ed Miliband at an event in Manchester.
The manifesto says that tackling climate change is an “economic necessity” for the next government and that Labour would commit to ambitious domestic carbon reduction targets – although these are not specified – and that it would include a legal target to remove carbon from the UK’s energy supply by 2030.
Also included is a previously mentioned promise to grant new powers to the Green Investment Bank, allowing it to invest in new green and renewable energy businesses and technologies with Labour set to firm up a timetable should it assume control at the general election next month.
Other plans unveiled include the creation of an Energy Security Board to plan the UK’s energy mix in advance and the establishment of robust environmental and regulatory regimes for fracking, however there was no additional information on plans revealed last week that would help schools seek funding for rooftop solar projects.
Labour is the first major party to unveil its election manifesto with other parties set to follow in its footsteps later this week.
Responding to Labour’s 2015 manifesto, the Renewable Energy Association’s head of external affairs, James Court said: “Whilst it is encouraging that Labour will look to grow our energy skills base, one million jobs is very ambitious. In order to succeed, we will need to really harness future technologies that the UK can excel in, such as solar, storage and marine, as well maximising technologies such as energy from waste, biomass and anaerobic digestion which are perfectly suited to the UK’s wider economy.”
Debate surrounding government policy and commitment to renewable energies has ratcheted up in recent weeks with the Renewable Energy Association leading calls for the next government to do more to encourage solar PV generation.