U turn if I want to, this laddy is for turning. T Blair. Visionary Statesman

"Concerted international effort' necessary to fight climate change"
24 February 2003

On the eve of pubishing the Energy White paper in 2003, Tony Blair spoke about the Government's energy policy.

"We know now, from further research and evidence, that to stop further damage to the climate we need a 60% of emissions reduction world-wide. The Royal Commission on Environmental Protection found just that: a 60% reduction by 2050 was essential.
So it is clear Kyoto is not radical enough. But it is at the moment the most that is politically achievable. And even the Kyoto targets have proved controversial with some countries, notably America. Many see it as a threat to the pursuit of economic growth."

"I believe this needn't be the case. If we harness new technology the evidence is mounting that we can achieve a target of 60% - and at reasonable cost."

"Solar energy alone, for example, could supply world energy demand using 1% of the land currently under crops and pasture. There is also huge potential from wind, wave and other renewable technologies.
"
"Improving the efficiency with which we operate our energy processes also offers enormous savings - up to half our energy use could be saved by the use of known efficiency techniques."

"The ability of hydrogen to replace fossil fuels, especially in transport, will also transform our energy system …"

"We will also set out later today our ambition to double the amount of energy supplied by renewables."

On 27 January 2005, Tony Blair, spoke to the World Economic Forum..where of course he had the oportunity to speak to POTUS (presumably after he had fallen off his bike).He could also review the fact that energy consumption relentlessly increases 1-2% per annum and the total installed base of renewable energy was less than 1/2% of electrical production, and that only by including hydro lectric power (for which there is zero potential growth in the UK) can any meaningful level of output be claimed. Also whilst massive claims have been made for offshore wind power, the steam ..er ... or wind is being knocked out of their sails, by the horrendous (and entirely predictable cost of installing distibution networks).

Secondly, through the G8 process I want to develop a package of practical measures, largely focused on technology, to cut emissions. And here I don’t just mean research into new technologies, important though that is. I also think we need to work much harder to find ways to implement the vast range of low-carbon technologies that have already been developed. Energy efficiency. Renewable energy sources. Cleaner fossil fuels. Avoiding waste. All of this can be done, and often at a much lower cost than we realise.

Tony Blair Pulls the Plug on Kyoto at Clinton Summit

Mr Blair told the New York conference organised by Bill Clinton :

"I would say probably I'm changing my thinking about this in the past two or three years. (ie since publishing Energy White Paper)I think if we are going to get action we have got to start from the brutal honesty about the politics of how we deal with it. "The truth is, no country is going to cut its growth or consumption substantially in the light of a long-term environmental problem. "Some people have signed Kyoto, some people haven't signed Kyoto, right? That is a disagreement. It's there. It's not going to be resolved."

so...a few days later at the Labour Party Conference ...

.... Government is to hold a full review of nuclear power and renewable energy sources - including clean coal - next year. Malcolm Wicks, the Energy minister, said it would be "more difficult" for Britain to meet its targets on cutting carbon emissions without nuclear power.

Speaking at a fringe meeting organised by the nuclear industry at the Labour Party Conference 2005 , newly appointed Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks (5th so far under Tony) said the government was "keeping options open" about expanding the nuclear industry as a way of reducing global warming.

"I think, in principle, we can meet our climate change targets without going down the nuclear route but it would be more difficult," Mr Wicks said. "I think it would help us tackle our challenge of climate change, all things being equal. But there is no silver bullet."

Malcolm Wicks is to lead the review into energy sources that will examine the cost of nuclear power and the role it can play in securing future energy supplies and tackling climate change.

Tony Blair has put his personal authority behind a fresh look at nuclear power as a way to cut carbon emissions. He also strongly indicated it could help guarantee the security of future energy supplies in Britain, reducing reliance on oil and gas piped in from abroad.

In an interview with The Observer, Wicks, who stresses he is a nuclear agnostic, said: "I feel that the issue is much more open. There always seem to be those who will be dead opposed - the history, the linkages to nuclear weapons."

Asked if political and public opinion had moved on the issue since the government's 2003 Energy White Paper - which questioned the economic case for nuclear and concluded it was an 'unattractive' option - he said:

"I do feel among many of my parliamentary colleagues and in public opinion there is more open-mindedness. There are hearts and minds to be won."

As one of his apparatchik Ministers said on BBC Question Time, admitting there had been a U turn in Government policy,(one of many) " Yes, but we are pressing forward fast , just in a different direction".

Recent blogs on same topic here