Opinion piece from the BBC by Matthew Spencer, chief executive of Regen SW: "...It is no coincidence that some of the strongest action on climate change has come from the places where the most power has been devolved to local decision makers.
The Scottish Executive has been successful in implementing ambitious policies to support renewable energy and is now leading the UK on wind power, with strong public backing. The Mayor of London has used his planning power to shake up energy standards in new buildings, and is aiming for 60% cuts in carbon by 2025, 25 years ahead of the government's target.
In
Denmark, famous for its success in renewables, the political culture of strong local government has been critical to the development of energy service companies.
A number of local councils in
Britain use the powers they do have on planning to block renewable energy schemes
The widespread use of high-efficiency heat networks in the major cities has been led by municipally owned energy supply companies. In the UK, the work of Woking and Merton councils on local energy is famous, but it is largely the result of strong-willed individuals with vision and determination who are prepared to work against the system to get things done.
There is a huge gulf between this "best practice" and the rest. In fact, in the absence of clear responsibilities on climate change, a number of local councils in Britain use the powers they do have on planning to block renewable energy schemes. UK Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly has said she wants government to "get off the centralising tread mill", and wants climate change to be the first test of the new relationship between central and local government.
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