Gwreiddiau Dwfn/mawrth Oer Ar Y Blaned Neifion

Today's BEP's tops a report with the headline that 'MPs oppose the Severn Barrage'. And then goes on to mention only one MP in its article (and a Lib Dem one at that). Who turns out not to actually oppose a barrage at all. He just wants the shorter option.

The Severn Barrage - a little bit closer but a long way to go

Went to an event at @Bristol yesterday where Ed Miliband and no less than 3 other Government ministers and one from the Welsh assembly, revealed the latest on the Severn Barrage scheme - or, to put it more accurately - plans to harness tidal power in the Severn estuary which may or may not include a barrage. The main alternative is tidal lagoons, with the idea of a tidal reef not making the shortlist but not entirely being dismissed either.

Lots of coverage of it in the Indy today. Here and here.

Catch up - child poverty campaign

Went on the end child poverty campaign's Keep the Promise march last Saturday. Marched along Whitehall to Trafalgar Square. The sun shone, whistles were blown, drums were drummed, speeches were made, and then Sophie Ellis-Bextor came on.

Both Eds were there, as well as James Purnell and Yvette Cooper, and my old friend, the Dad from Shameless, who needless to say showed no sign of recollecting he had ever set eyes on me before. Caught up with Ed M outside his new home, the Department for Energy and Climate Change (basically Defra with a sheet of A3 stuck over the gold plaque) and chatted about the Severn Barrage, about which he will no doubt very soon become an expert. I was a bit confused about the remit of his new department; turns out he will be doing the big picture climate change stuff, but Defra will still be handling issues like waste management, bins and recycling. Got to be a good move, setting up DECC, hasn't it? Speaking of energy issues, I've been invited to go onto the Rainbow Warrior soon, but only when it's docked. There's also some talk of being taken in a Greenpeace speedboat along the Thames, which would give me an opportunity to re-enact my 'solo dismount' star turn, last seen on my white-water rafting trip.

Severn barrage

So, I'm on a train on my way to London for some meetings and this evening will turn round and come back again. Doing a walkabout with the police tomorrow night, and Ed Balls is coming to visit some schools on Wednesday. (Actually I am no longer on the train... but I was when I wrote that. When are FGW going to get WiFi sorted on their trains? Even a decent phone signal would be a start, especially round Swindon, which is hardly a technological desert. And while I’m on the subject, shouldn’t people who want to talk to each other be banned from the quiet coach too?)

I was in the office this morning for a presentation on the Severn Barrage by a fisheries scientist from the Environment Agency, who is now working on climate change issues. It was fascinating. I now know all about tidal surges -vs- tidal streams, the mechanics of barrages -vs- tidal lagoons, and the breeding habits of shad and salmon, lampreys and elvers. Must admit, I hadn't realised quite how little the barrage would contribute to the UK's energy needs - about 0.6% [CORRECTION - THIS SHOULD BE 6%], though of course that depends on whether we manage to reduce energy consumption significantly over future years, in which case it could be higher. The figure most often cited is that the barrage could provide 90% of the UK's tidal power, which gives a bit of a misleading impression of its overall significance. It's estimated that for far less than the cost of building the barrage (c.£15bn for the most likely location) we could insulate all the homes in the South West and save as much energy as the barrage would provide. But in order to meet our renewables target - 15% by 2020, and we're lagging massively behind most other EU countries on that, except Luxembourg and Malta (which is historical because of our reliance on coal and North Sea oil) and our 60%/ 80% reduction in emissions by 2050 we may need to do both, and much more. (Interesting that both the reps from the EA said that they'd had to rethink their opposition to nuclear power in recent years). Based on today's discussion, I think that the scheme may fall at the first hurdle, in that the planning application won't meet the Habitats Directive criteria. But we'll see.

OK, over to you Glenn, Chris, Paul and the rest! But if you're going to suggest that in the future we'll be able to rely solely on renewables, I want to know what, when and where. Solutions, not slogans! And if you're going to say the solution is a massive reduction in energy consumption (which certainly has to be on the agenda), I want to know how you're going to get people to sign up to it. Carrot or stick? Incentives or regulation?

Everything's gone green

Alarming report in yesterday's Guardian about the World Bank's report impact of biofuels on world food prices,which took me, at least, by surprise with its conclusion that the rush to biofuels has pushed prices up by 75%. (The Americans are sticking to 3% at the moment).

The Government is due to publish the results of its own inquiry, the Gallagher report, very soon - although it has of course already been widely leaked and, if the leaks are accurate, also concludes that biofuels have had a 'significant' impact on food prices.

It looks as if the brakes will have to be put on biofuels. So what's the alternative? Biomass? More wind turbines? Tidal power? Solar power? Do opponents of nuclear power believe that these can alone fill the gap? (By the way, my question about the Severn Barrage's impact on Bristol Port at last week's DBERR session.... not to be interpreted as in any way opposing plans for the Barrage. OK? But we do need to look at its impact on the future of Bristol as a deep-sea container port, as well as the environmental consequences. Locks could be put into the barrage, but it would be costly and delay ships by a couple of hours, making the port less competitive. The Port Authority therefore prefers the tidal lagoons option, if there has to be a tidal power scheme at all. Me, I'm reserving judgment on what's the best option until the Feasibility Study is concluded, as that's the point of conducting a feasibility study, isn't it?)

There was also this report that UK voters believe that taking action on climate change is more important than tackling the global economic downturn, and that 63% of them support more green taxes. Traditionally voters tend to say that kind of thing to pollsters but then vote for lower taxes when it comes to an election; but it does offer hope that the battle of ideas is slowly being won.