Policy Statements and Initiatives

Defra: Speaking at the recent Cathedrals and Climate Change Conference at Lambeth Palace, organised by the Association of English Cathedrals, Environment Minister, Mr Pearson welcomed the commitment of churches & cathedrals to join the national effort to cut carbon emissions and start adapting to the inevitable impacts climate change will have on our historic environment.

Cathedral Deans, architects and administrators heard expert testimony to the way global warming will affect these priceless historic buildings, from the effect of heat on large expanses of lead roof and medieval stained glass to greatly increased rainfall, storms and lighting.

UNESCO recently published a report on world heritage sites & climate change, with Westminster Abbey being used as a case study in the report. It recognised that flood inundation from the Thames may be a problem.
Press release ~ Shrinking the Footprint - Church of England National Environmental Campaign ~ 'How many light bulbs does it take to change a Christian?' ~ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) ~ UNESCO report on world heritage sites & climate change (be patient - very large file) ~ UNESCO and Climate ChangeSt Paul's Cathedral's Costing the Earth series ~ Churchcare ~ We're In This Together Campaign ~ ~ Defra - Climate Change

DTI: Grants to help climate-conscious householders to install microgeneration technologies will be up for grabs again later this month, Alistair Darling has announced. The Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP) has already allocated £6.8m in grants to householders and, following the addition an extra £6m in the Budget, applications for the remaining £11.9m will be open from 29 May 2007.

Since it launched in April 2006 the LCBP has directly funded 2,175 installations on homes.  This includes 242 mini-turbines, 313 Solar PV projects and 1,467 solar thermal heating systems. 

The Government is consulting (closes 27 June 2007) on removing the need for planning permission for the majority of microgeneration installations, but it must be in place for LCBP grant applicants in the meantime.
Press release ~ Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP) ~ ~ Consultation Paper: Permitted Development Rights for Householder Microgeneration ~ Domestic Installation of Microgeneration Equipment: Final report from a Review of the Permitted Development Regulations ~ DCLG's environment programme ~ Code for Sustainable Homes ~ Micropower Council ~ Green Alliance ~ Energy Savings Trust ~ Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable Development ~ Sustainable Development Commission ~ Centre for Sustainable Energy ~ DTI Energy Review website ~ Distributed Energy: A call for Evidence ~ Greenpeace report: Power: An Energy Revolution For The 21st Century (4.6Mb) ~ The World Alliance for Decentralized Energy (WADE)

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