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Clark Cross: Britain is in breach of UN rules on wind farms
Credit: Clark Cross | www.scotsman.com | 12 January 2013 | ~~
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Christine Metcalfe – a member of Avich and Kilchrenan Community Council – is determined to halt the relentless march of Britain’s wind turbines.
She was recently given a hearing before the Compliance Committee at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in Geneva (Unece).
She is mounting a legal challenge against the UK Government and the EU, claiming they have both breached UN laws over their green energy policies.
She told the committee that Holyrood and Westminster have failed to ensure the public is given accurate information about the adverse impact of wind power, claiming green energy plans have denied the public the right to question the alleged benefits of wind power in reducing harmful emissions, or to raise the negative effects of wind power on health, the environment and economy.
She said no British-based wind farm developer has ever been required to explain the benefits of wind power.
The question of the Scottish Government’s Renewables Routemap came up. The committee was shocked to discover that, despite the pronouncements of Fergus Ewing MSP and First Minister Alex Salmond, the Scottish Government’s Renewables Routemap 2020 and Energy Policy Statement are still officially only drafts.
So officials have relied on these drafts in giving the go-ahead for more than 3,500 wind turbines, granting planning without proper scientific justification based on a draft.
In addition, many authorities did not prepare an independent Strategic environmental assessment but meekly accepted those submitted by the developer.
Many of these presented CO2 savings which did not take into account the need for back-up generators and other infrastructure. Scottish and UK authorities will now struggle to prove they complied with rules on public participation. Alex Salmond should be summoned before the UN Compliance Committee to explain his wind fixation and his draft legislation. The UNECE Aarhus Compliance Committee is expected to rule soon.
• Clark Cross is a retired chartered accountant and anti-wind farm campaigner.
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