Today's visionary declaration by North Sea Ministers to promote renewable energy in the North Sea was clouded by fall out from the on-going argument on radioactive discharges from Sellafield.
North Sea Ministers including UK Environment Minister Michael Meacher agreed to "welcome the development of renewable energy, inter alia offshore wind energyThey agree to take action to exploit this potential fully and safely." However, Greenpeace warned that this historic commitment would be undermined by the continued support of the UK and France to the polluting nuclear industry.
The North Sea has huge potential to harness wind power and develop renewable energy. Just 1% of the resource could power more than 6 million homes. In contrast to the billions of euros of state support for the nuclear industry, renewables still receive insufficient funding.
Greenpeace political advisor Simon Reddy said,
"The UK and France have to understand that the policies they articulated in Bergen represent a fundamental contradiction. What use is it signing up to clean renewable energy if you simultaneously continue to support a failing industry that is polluting our environment? It's a policy that's about as stable as the ice shelf that's just broken off from Antarctica."
During the 5th North Sea Ministers meeting in Bergen, the UK Environment Minister Michael Meacher stated publicly: "The twentieth century was the century of oil, the twenty-first must be the century of renewable energy."
The conference saw Ministers from nine countries and the EU recognise that climate change brought on by the use of fossil fuels poses a potent threat to the ecosystem and coastal regions of the North Sea. They also acknowledged the need to develop renewable alternatives to fossil fuels like oil and gas.
The commitment by the ministers to take action to exploit the wind potential of the North Sea was welcomed by Greenpeace. However, the agreement will only be worthwhile if it leads to massive financial investment in the offshore wind industry. Greenpeace emphasised that only through a commitment to renewable energy technologies will governments be able to make a substantial and sustainable contribution to their Kyoto Protocol commitments.
The 5th North Sea Conference comes five months before the Johannesburg Earth Summit. Access to clean energy is a key indicator of sustainable development and poverty alleviation. Kick-starting a global renewables revolution could be the first real sign of the spirit of the Rio Earth Summit 10 years ago when governments promised to prioritise sustainable development.
Greenpeace hopes that by the Johannesburg Earth Summit this August, other world leaders will have pledged to stop supporting businesses that contribute to environmental problems and poverty. The international community should follow the North Sea Ministers' lead on renewables.
Notes to editors:
(1) North Sea countries present were Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the European Commission. Last North Sea Ministerial meeting was in Esjberg, Denmark in June 1995.
IX - Promotion of renewable energy
66. The Ministers welcome the development of renewable energy technology, inter alia, offshore wind energy, that has the potential to make a significant contribution to tackling the problems of climate change. They agree to take action in order to exploit this potential fully and safely, taking into account the global and Europeans commitments linked to the Kyoto protocol. Other technologies, such as wave power, may have a role in the future.
67. The Ministers from the EU Member States affirm their commitment to implement the EU Directive 2001/77 on renewable energy as part of their commitment in the Kyoto protocol on climate change.
68. In order to ensure a consistent and coherent approach to future developments of offshore wind energy, which, inter alia, takes account of environmental, and nature-conservation issues, the Ministers:
i) encourage the competent authorities to develop indicative guidance on areas suitable for offshore wind energy developments, taking account of local wind conditions, ecological importance, shipping, the possibility of connections to national electricity grids and other users of the North Sea;
ii) agree that offshore wind energy parks should be developed taking account of environmental impact data and monitoring information as it emerges and taking account of exchange of information and experience provided through the spatial planning processes;
iii) note that the stage of development of offshore wind energy gives the opportunity to apply the precautionary principle from the outset; and
iv) stress that in particular Strategic Environmental Assessments provide the opportunity to evaluate both the potential for cumulative impacts on the marine environment from offshore wind development and the potential positive benefits of renewable energy in combating global climate change.
69. The Ministers further invite OSPAR in co-operation with the European Union:
i) to develop a comprehensive set of criteria to assist competent authorities when deciding on applications for the development of offshore wind energy installations; and
ii) to develop a description of best available techniques for the location, construction, operation, and removal of offshore wind energy parks with a view to facilitating their development and to protect the marine environment.
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