- Conference
- 2006 Energy Service Group Conference
- Date
- 15 March 2006
- Decision
- Carried
Conference welcomes UNISON’s response to the Government’s Energy Review. We note that contrary to the growing clamour for a nuclear renaissance that there is no proven economic or environmental case for doing so.
Conference believes that there remains an untapped potential to reduce the UK’s dependency on energy through energy conservation and savings measures.
Conference recognises the initiatives taken by energy companies to invest in renewable energy facilities in difficult market conditions. However, much more needs to be done to encourage the commissioning of green renewable sources of energy including the use of low carbon technology.
Conference also recognises that the UK still has usable coal reserves that may now prove to be economically viable.
Conference expresses its concern about the dramatic increases in gas prices and the UK’s growing dependency on imported gas caused in part by the commercially restricted access to transmission facilities on mainland Europe.
Conference therefore calls upon the Energy SGE to:
a)Promote a non nuclear energy policy for the UK.
b)In liaison with the NEC to lobby the Government to take a more positive approach to renewable sources of energy.
c) In liaison with the NEC to propose that Government should carry out an independent assessment of the potential for re -opening suitable UK coal mines combined with greater use of clean coal technologies.
d)Support the EPSU in its response to the European Commission’s Energy Review.
e) Support the development of a pan European network of gas and electricity supply infrastructure that is publicly controlled and where access to the network is regulated by the European Commission in the interests of all European energy users.