Greens Vote Against Renewable Energy

5.27.00pm GMT Thu 5th Oct 2006

Last night Islington's only Green Party Councillor voted against plans that would require all new developments to have at least 20% renewable energy.

Islington has pledged to exceed the Government's carbon reduction targets with an 80% reduction by 2050.

By voting against the new plan Green Party Councillor Katie Dawson not only voted against 50% affordable housing for Islington she also voted against a raft of Green measures including requiring:

20% renewable Energy requirement in large developments.

All new buildings to reduce water consumption and encourage grey water use

Promotion of sustainable transport to minimise car use

All new developments to have adequate waste and recycling storage

Setting an objective to become a "zero waste" borough all construction materials to be renewable

All major developments to be built to BREEAM excellence standards - ensuring all our developments have minimum impact on the environment while being built

Executive member for the Environment Cllr Lucy Watt said

"This is the greenest development framework that the council has ever had. We have put green measures right at the heart of it, and as far as we're aware we are the only council with such ambitious targets for renewable energy and cutting carbon emissions. The Liberal Democrats want Islington to be at the cutting edge of environmental policies, and we're disappointed the Green Party can't back us up on this.

"At Lib Dem conference we showed that we are committed as a party to helping the environment. We've come back to Islington and shown that we can put a national commitment into practice at home to make Islington a greener, cleaner borough."