Rural crime is a problem, so we do our best to be vigilant about farm security. Tractors are locked away with keys removed, farm yard and roadside gates kept padlocked, not only to prevent thefts but also to stop fly tipping. There are security cameras in strategic places, and people about almost 24/7. Despite these precautions, last week three horses had winter rugs stolen off their backs while grazing in the field. It seems that unless items are bolted to the ground or locked in a secure building, it is fair game, and we should not be too surprised if they are taken!
The New Forest and Dartmoor ponies are about to be painted with luminous paint to make them more visible when they wander onto the highways. Apparently several hundred are killed each year. This seems an excellent idea, so we have now adopted a similar policy, but in our case we are painting horse rugs ghastly colours, fixing microchips and writing post codes on them, in a vain attempt to prevent further thefts and cold horses.
The chief chemist of Shell Oils has said we should get used to living with cheaper fuels, as world oil usage has peaked, and demand is now in decline. With more fuel efficient vehicles, increasing solar energy, and renewables, the demand for oil is decreasing. Despite what the papers say, there are still vast untapped oil resources, it is therefore little wonder that OPEC has once again decided not to reduce crude oil supplies.
In the light of the Paris Climate Change summit, it is surprising that it was reported last week that dozens of new highly polluting diesel generators are to be built in the UK. This follows companies being handed consumer-funded subsidies worth £175m over the next 15 years, and an additional £830m in 2019-20.
Companies proposing to build 650 megawatts of new small diesel engines won these subsidies through the government’s capacity market scheme, which was designed to ensure there are enough power plants to keep the lights on when our new renewable power industries fail.
The scheme which was originally intended to deliver large new efficient combined-cycle gas turbine plants, to replace old polluting power stations, has now been overtaken by events. As the subsidies have fallen to £18 per kilowatt, it is no longer economically viable to build the new CCGT plants. So, these subsidies will go to existing gas, coal and nuclear plants, and this new unintended industry constructing diesel plants.
Following the Paris summit will climate change be reversed? Billions, if not trillions are to be spent fighting against nature, rather than working with it.
Replanting and restoring rainforests would have been a good place to start, and making alternative arrangements for islanders threatened by rising sea levels. Flood defences and contingency funds for communities, would be a better way to spend precious resources, than crippling major industries, taxing households, and holding back emerging economies.
As the ‘World’ leaders leave their plush Paris hotels with their copy of the ‘Agreement’ tucked under their arms, one has to wonder how many will be tempted to drop the document into the nearest bin on their journey home.
Unfortunately we can be sure UK representatives will hurry home, and by the time the document arrives in Westminster it will have been ‘gold plated’, expanded, and unrecognisable as the document which left Paris. Despite the UK already having the most and only draconian and binding Climate Change Act in the world.
As Owen Paterson said, ‘we need to make sure we decouple energy policy from climate change policy, and restore some common sense to the system.’ He recommends that the Climate Change Act, Ed Miliband’s legacy, be suspended and eventually repealed.
The delay in announcing the airport expansion options in the south east has its advantages. It is fairly certain that Heathrow will fail the air pollution impact, and adding a second runway at Gatwick is not sensible.
When you look around and see new airports springing up on the continent and competing for business, it is surely time for the government to be creating world class airports for the future, not adding sticking plasters to prop up just one existing airport, which is already frequently impossible to access, and cause additional misery to those living under its flight path.
What is certain is that a decision must be made, and soon. London’s prosperity depends upon being connected to the world, particularly emerging markets where new business and jobs are coming from. It is vital that investment into transport links between central London and each of London’s key airports will result in better service at lower prices.
Rather than adding additional runways it would surely make more sense to upgrade the infrastructure, roads and rail access to Gatwick, Stanstead, Luton, Manchester and Birmingham, thus taking the pressure away from a single hub.
As Zac Goldsmith has said, “Competition between London’s airports has served Londoners well. Given its success, it is astonishing that anyone, least of all a Conservative Government, would consider re-establishing a new monopoly.”
The New Forest and Dartmoor ponies are about to be painted with luminous paint to make them more visible when they wander onto the highways. Apparently several hundred are killed each year. This seems an excellent idea, so we have now adopted a similar policy, but in our case we are painting horse rugs ghastly colours, fixing microchips and writing post codes on them, in a vain attempt to prevent further thefts and cold horses.
The chief chemist of Shell Oils has said we should get used to living with cheaper fuels, as world oil usage has peaked, and demand is now in decline. With more fuel efficient vehicles, increasing solar energy, and renewables, the demand for oil is decreasing. Despite what the papers say, there are still vast untapped oil resources, it is therefore little wonder that OPEC has once again decided not to reduce crude oil supplies.
In the light of the Paris Climate Change summit, it is surprising that it was reported last week that dozens of new highly polluting diesel generators are to be built in the UK. This follows companies being handed consumer-funded subsidies worth £175m over the next 15 years, and an additional £830m in 2019-20.
Companies proposing to build 650 megawatts of new small diesel engines won these subsidies through the government’s capacity market scheme, which was designed to ensure there are enough power plants to keep the lights on when our new renewable power industries fail.
The scheme which was originally intended to deliver large new efficient combined-cycle gas turbine plants, to replace old polluting power stations, has now been overtaken by events. As the subsidies have fallen to £18 per kilowatt, it is no longer economically viable to build the new CCGT plants. So, these subsidies will go to existing gas, coal and nuclear plants, and this new unintended industry constructing diesel plants.
Following the Paris summit will climate change be reversed? Billions, if not trillions are to be spent fighting against nature, rather than working with it.
Replanting and restoring rainforests would have been a good place to start, and making alternative arrangements for islanders threatened by rising sea levels. Flood defences and contingency funds for communities, would be a better way to spend precious resources, than crippling major industries, taxing households, and holding back emerging economies.
As the ‘World’ leaders leave their plush Paris hotels with their copy of the ‘Agreement’ tucked under their arms, one has to wonder how many will be tempted to drop the document into the nearest bin on their journey home.
Unfortunately we can be sure UK representatives will hurry home, and by the time the document arrives in Westminster it will have been ‘gold plated’, expanded, and unrecognisable as the document which left Paris. Despite the UK already having the most and only draconian and binding Climate Change Act in the world.
As Owen Paterson said, ‘we need to make sure we decouple energy policy from climate change policy, and restore some common sense to the system.’ He recommends that the Climate Change Act, Ed Miliband’s legacy, be suspended and eventually repealed.
The delay in announcing the airport expansion options in the south east has its advantages. It is fairly certain that Heathrow will fail the air pollution impact, and adding a second runway at Gatwick is not sensible.
When you look around and see new airports springing up on the continent and competing for business, it is surely time for the government to be creating world class airports for the future, not adding sticking plasters to prop up just one existing airport, which is already frequently impossible to access, and cause additional misery to those living under its flight path.
What is certain is that a decision must be made, and soon. London’s prosperity depends upon being connected to the world, particularly emerging markets where new business and jobs are coming from. It is vital that investment into transport links between central London and each of London’s key airports will result in better service at lower prices.
Rather than adding additional runways it would surely make more sense to upgrade the infrastructure, roads and rail access to Gatwick, Stanstead, Luton, Manchester and Birmingham, thus taking the pressure away from a single hub.
As Zac Goldsmith has said, “Competition between London’s airports has served Londoners well. Given its success, it is astonishing that anyone, least of all a Conservative Government, would consider re-establishing a new monopoly.”
Following the Paris summit will climate change be reversed? Billions, if not trillions are to be spent fighting against nature, rather than working with it.
RSS Feed