Industrial strategy colours emissions reduction

Government to rename emissions reduction plan to reflect “clean growth” ambitions

The government is set to be rebadge its delayed emissions reduction plan (ERP) to give a stronger focus on economic growth, a conference heard yesterday.

The ERP will be renamed a “clean growth plan”, according to backbench Conservative MP James Heappey. His revelation came during an MPs’ panel debate at trade body Renewable UK’s annual wave and tidal conference in London.

Heappey put the renaming in the context of a wider push by ministers to refocus environmental policy on promoting growth. He said: “Don’t talk about the environment, talk about clean technology.”

He added that he understood the publication of the plan, which is designed to set out how the UK will meet its post-2020 greenhouse gas reduction targets, had slipped from April to June.

In January, the government’s industrial strategy paper – which launched a consultation on the best approach to supporting clean industrial growth in the UK – said the ERP would be published “sometime in 2017”. It is latest in a string of delays to hit the plan.

Heappey, who represents the Somerset constituency of Wells, also said the plan was likely to give strong backing to offshore generation.

“I would be amazed If there’s not a strong nod to offshore. The enthusiasm for offshore was clear under the previous DECC leadership and that has carried forward. The Hendry review has added to that.”