Whitehead appointed to Climate Change Bill Joint Committee
19th April 2007
Alan Whitehead was yesterday appointed to the Draft Climate Change Bill (Joint Committee) by Parliament.
The Draft Climate Change Bill, which was published on the 13th March will put on the statute book the requirement to tackle Climate Change through an ambitious reduction in carbon emissions of 60% by 2050 - making the UK the first government in the world to legislate to this effect.
The Draft Climate Change Bill (Joint Committee) has powers to send for persons, papers and records; appoint special advisers; and will report to both Houses of Parliament on the draft Bill by the 13th July 2007.
Dr Whitehead who has an active advocate of the Climate Change issue, welcomed his appointment to the Joint Committee. He said:
“I am really pleased to be appointed as a member to this influential committee as it will give me the opportunity to scrutinise every aspect of the Draft Climate Change Bill and ensure that it is as far-reaching and comprehensive as it can be. I’m also looking forward to hearing evidence from many of the experts in the field who will also enable us to make sure that this Bill is robust and strong and will make a real impact on halting Climate Change.”
Dr Whitehead has been campaigning for action on Climate Change for 20 years. As a councillor, Dr Whitehead introduced and obtained funding for Southampton’s geothermal power plant after the government of the day had pulled the plug on funding for the project, which now provides clean, cheap energy and
heating to much of Southampton.
More recently, the key amendments of his Private Members Bill, were incorporated into the Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Bill and received Royal Assent last July. Dr Whitehead is also Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group, and Chair of All-Party Sustainable Waste Group.
Dr Whitehead also took up the 25/5 challenge to cut his carbon emissions by 25% over 5 years, and through installing cavity wall insulation, recycling or reusing, and energy saving light bulbs he reduced his carbon footprint by 8.2% in 2005-6.
Dr Whitehead added:
“In Southampton there have already been key developments such as the project which I am working on as an unpaid board director for a Combined Heat and Power station being built as part of the regeneration of Outer Shirley. This will heat thousands of homes and generate 50 megawatts of renewable power, and because it’s a local project, less energy is wasted travelling along power lines which means cheaper energy costs and less carbon emitted into the atmosphere.
I hope this Bill will bring in measures to encourage people and communities across the country to support developments such as the one in Southampton and make changes to their lifestyles that will help the UK move to a low carbon economy in the fight against Climate Change. I will certainly be using my position as a member of the Committee to this end.”
