It’s been like watching a slow-motion car crash; you could see it coming but do nothing to stop it. The government’s prevarication and indecision on energy policy has condemned many people to a tough winter which today’s announcement of a £910 million package of home insulation grants and subsidies to help people with their energy bills will do little to prevent.
Leaving aside for the moment the specifics of the package, this tells us something important about the way government in this country works; it is mainly reactive – responding to circumstances after the event rather than planning, anticipating and being strategic. Between episodes of reacting to events it falls back into a control mode, exercising (or trying to exercise) detailed control from the centre.
In short, it’s management by crisis.
Government needs to be strategic, to spot issues early leaving plenty of time to devise and execute a plan. Contrast the German approach outlined here which is cutting greenhouse gas emissions, ramping up renewable electricity production and creating lots of jobs.
It could and should be done in Britain too, but it will require a different approach from government.
11 September 2008 at 6:03 pm |
Requires federalism and an `Apollo mission` in energy independence
25 September 2008 at 9:34 am |
What it requires is a different approach, for the sake of struggling home owners and the environment.
Forget Gordon Clown’s approach, research this stuff for yourself and invest in insulation technology first to keep every scrap of heat in the home you can. Then look to the ballot box at the next election. Go for a party that really has a grasp of th real issues and forgets the politics of it all. Up here, the SNP is looking ever more attractive…