Assembly members confronted with support for wind power

Posted by bex — 20 September 2004 at 8:00am - Comments
Yes2Wind campaigners project their message onto the Assembly building in Cardiff

Yes2Wind campaigners project their message onto the Assembly building in Cardiff

As Welsh Assembly members arrived early for the start of the new session they had to face the fact that there is overwhelming support for wind energy in Wales.

We projected "80% Want Offshore Wind" across the front of the Cardiff bay buildings in 30ft high letters along with huge photographs showing the devastation that global warming can cause.

In the next few weeks, Welsh assembly members will vote on the Scarweather Sands offshore wind farm proposal. A few assembly members are attempting to block the proposal. To overturn a recent decision by the assembly planning committee to allow the Scarweather project to go ahead, its opponents must secure the support of 10 assembly members over the coming days. If they succeed, the assembly will hold a debate and a vote on the proposal.

It is clear that public opinion in Wales is on the side of the wind power. There is some opposition to the Scarweather development, but polling shows it is a vocal minority.

An ICM poll released last week showed that 76% of people in Wales support the Westminster government's plans to build more wind farms, that 72% want them built in their area. Eighty per cent support the construction of offshore wind farms, with just 10% in Wales opposed.

With global warming hitting home and the need for wind power so urgent, we felt the message deserved to be spelt out in a huge way. The World Health Organisation says 150,000 people a year are dying from climate change. One of the best ways we defeat this menace is to generate our energy from clean renewable sources like offshore wind.

We are urging assembly members to support the Swansea bay project as evidence mounts that all areas of the UK face disruption from global warming.

Wales wants wind, and over the next few weeks assembly members can give the green light to an offshore wind farm that will power thousands of homes and show the rest of the country how Wales is leading the UK in the fight against climate change.

 

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