This topic if accepted by the moderators will allow me to update weekly on issues that will affect you and have it seems slipped by.

Thankyou moderators. Back at eight! Years ago the introduction of the Monday night at eight o clock radio programme was followed by....can't you hear the chimes?
I believe they were from Big Ben.
Happy memories and a most suitable title for this thread
when for those who can remember Britain was Great

For your informationBilled as 1st Ever Durham Dales Climate Change Event
The Durham Dales Environmental Group welcomes you on behalf of Wear Valley & Teesdale Local Partnerships

Extract from the Flyer
The earth is getting warmer: this is changing the world’s climate.
Scientists agree it is largely due to us humans. This special meeting is an opportunity for people living and working in the Dales to discuss their thoughts on the impact of Climate Change in this area
Wear Valley had a 32 page handout Climate Change Strategy 2007-2010
There were useful weblinks from Environment Agency on eco foot printing

There will be a number of expert speakers……………………………………………
From the programme 2nd Nov 2007
Chair Phil Hughes
Keynote speech Helen Goodman MP

Comment
In spite of these Local Partnerships and this type of event, workshops and an opportunity for questions the outcome will still rely on who attends and what is said by speakers and facilitators
Community involvement and with everyone being persuaded to do their bit to save the planet is commendable but what is the overall message from government

According to Helen Goodman this is a global and moral issue
Government she said is looking to reduce carbon emissions by 2050 by 80% rather than 60%
With responsibility for the Climate Change Bill she confirmed the commitment to renewables and spoke of the London Array.

Further comment
One of the many meetings where it is not what is said but what is not that gives cause for concern I hope that if some similar meetings take place in areas where those who post on webcameron live they will attend and take with them their varied expertise Most important is that there was little said about not meeting the targets for 2010

Yet the French noted it
Tony Blair avait fait son fanfaron avant de quitter Downing Street en fixant un objectif de 20% d'énergie renouvelable en 2020.

Aujourd'hui, le gouvernement de son successeur ( du même parti ) Gordon Brown annonce que ce n'était pas réaliste et qu'il faudra renégocier!

Examples of good practice in reducing CO2 emissions cite GlaxoSmithKline GSK* and Teesdale Renewable Energy Challenge(TREC)

Comment: Unsupported and incorrect statements were given at the committee meeting which decided the planning application for the GSK wind turbines. (2002) The Chair requested that if personal interest was such that it would prejudice their decision significantly they should leave the room.,
Cllr Hughes,who wrote the foreward to the TREC brochure supporting GSK turbines and the Hamsterley Wind farm proposal, stayed and voted. Chair for the 1st Ever Durham Dales Climate Change Event meeting,previous post, was Phil Hughes
Adrian Smith (TNEI) represented GSK, and did not mention the Renewable Obligation Certificates, at that time worth £45 per MWh! One councillor voted in favour to spite his colleague! David Hand Principal Planning Officer gave misleading information regarding the height of the turbines in relation to the Angel of The North. I mentioned the fact to him but could not pursue it as he had by then been head hunted by John Prescott. (No connection intended or implied) Was the decision flawed? A spokesman for GSK confirmed that no on site wind speeds were taken

Comment TREC, the truth, is described in more detail here pages 56-65. Details of some EU funded projects including TREC are in pages 84/85
I draw your attention to one point re the questionnaire mentioned on page 60. Many did not receive this so I contacted the Environment and Health Co-ordinator for Teesdale who checked and agreed many had not been sent. An administrative error? 48 households out of 14000 were said to be supportive of wind energy.She then moved to TNEI
Those figures do not justify building wind farms which will impact on the landscape.
What is really happening in the guise of climate change?

How much public money do they receive?

It is a little ironic to be lectured about "moral issues" by a New Labour MP don't you think? Did anyone ask Goodman about her support for the use of Depleted Uranium and it's scattering over much of Iraq?

I personally think wind farms are a beautiful sight and like the engineering behind them, however, they should not be forced on any community at the whim of the local planning officers / councillors.

As we are an island nation, why is it we're not hearing more about tidal energy generation?

That said, I'm still of the opinion that a lot of man-made global warming talk is simply hysteria designed to allow the introduction of global carbon taxes.