updated energy policy

Green Party conference just passed this -
and re-affirmed our core anti-nuke stance.

Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 24  Green Party of England and Wales 
Energy 
Getting Britain working: saving and generating clean energy 
EN001 This policy aims for a complete transformation of the energy system to one 
based on efficient use of energy supplied mainly by electricity from renewable sources.  
The policy will ensure an affordable and reliable energy supply for householders, 
commerce and industry in a prosperous and productive economy with excellent 
employment prospects. It will bring energy bills down; strengthen community control 
of energy use, supply and costs, and help to eradicate fuel poverty. 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 25  Green Party of England and Wales 
Amendment 1 – a: 
Proposed by: Oliver Price*, Ashley Rolleston, Paul Jenkins, Natasha Thrale, Lowri 
Nia Knibbs Vaughn, Ian Norris, Keri Edmonds, Chris Pritchard,  
In EN001 Delete the words “renewable sources” and replace with “carbon 
neutral sources” so it reads: 
This policy aims for a complete transformation of the energy system to one 
based on efficient use of energy supplied mainly by electricity from carbon 
neutral sources. The policy will ensure an affordable and reliable energy supply 
for householders, commerce and industry in a prosperous and productive 
economy with excellent employment prospects. It will bring energy bills down; 
strengthen community control of energy use, supply and costs, and help to 
eradicate fuel poverty. 
EN002 Energy is a key factor in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions accounting for over 
80% of UK emissions. We need to stop energy waste and improve efficiency of use – do 
better with less. Limiting climate impacts is a powerful reason for using energy more 
efficiently and changing to low carbon energy sources. 
EN003 We can enjoy comfortable homes and a thriving economy using a third of our 
current energy demand by improving the energy performance of new and existing 
buildings and by re-thinking industrial processes to reduce the ‘energy intensity’ of 
products. Innovation in energy usage will save costs and enable a rapid change to 
clean renewable power from sources within the UK. Electricity from renewables will 
replace existing polluting energy sources, ensuring stable prices and removing 
dependence on foreign fuel imports. 
Amendment 1 – b: 
Proposed by: Oliver Price*, Ashley Rolleston, Paul Jenkins, Natasha Thrale, Lowri 
Nia Knibbs Vaughn, Ian Norris, Keri Edmonds, Chris Pritchard,  
In EN003 delete “a third” and replace with “two thirds, or less” so that it reads: 
“We can enjoy comfortable homes and a thriving economy using two thirds, or 
less, of our current energy demand by improving the energy performance of 
new and existing buildings and by re-thinking industrial processes to reduce 
the ‘energy intensity’ of products. Innovation in energy usage will save costs 
and enable a rapid change to clean renewable power from sources within the 
UK. Electricity from renewables will replace existing polluting energy sources, 
ensuring stable prices and removing dependence on foreign fuel imports.” 
EN004 The energy system will be reorganised to ensure full democratic control, with 
local communities generating and supplying their own energy needs. Local councils 
and communities will have a key role in planning efficiency programmes, and 
organising local energy supply and distribution. Eradication of fuel poverty will be a 
priority:  about a fifth of households currently suffer fuel poverty in the UK.  
EN005 Innovation in energy efficiency, renewable energy and energy storage will 
require rapid training and upskilling of the workforce needed to design, construct, 
operate and manage radical change to the current energy system. Restructuring the 
UK energy system will significantly boost employment. Investment in energy efficiency 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 26  Green Party of England and Wales 
and renewable energy will generate market value in products and innovations worth 
hundreds of billions of pounds. 
Amendment 1 – c: 
Proposed by: Oliver Price*, Ashley Rolleston, Paul Jenkins, Natasha Thrale, Lowri 
Nia Knibbs Vaughn, Ian Norris, Keri Edmonds, Chris Pritchard. 
In EN005 insert “, nuclear energy” after “renewable energy” and before “and 
energy storage” so that it reads: 
“Innovation in energy efficiency, renewable energy, nuclear energy and energy 
storage will require rapid training and upskilling of the workforce needed to 
design, construct, operate and manage radical change to the current energy 
system. Restructuring the UK energy system will significantly boost 
employment. Investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy will 
generate market value in products and innovations worth hundreds of billions 
of pounds.” 
EN006 An energy efficiency fund will be supported by an improved system of carbon 
taxes to help the design, upgrading and construction of better homes and buildings, 
energy efficient industry and to expand renewables.  
EN007 This policy ensures the UK will achieve carbon reduction and energy efficiency 
levels which recognise the need to avoid dangerous climate change, well beyond 
current inadequate mandatory targets. It will put the UK at the forefront of low 
carbon energy development, and enable the UK to strongly influence and assist 
international moves to combat climate change. 
Amendment 2 
Proposed by: Nicola Dodgson*, Jonathan Essex, Shaun , Sam Riches, Pippa 
Bartolotti. 
Delete EN007 and replace with: 
"Even so, this policy alone is unlikely to ensure sufficient action on carbon 
reduction and energy efficiency to avoid dangerous climate change, which 
require wider changes to production, development, consumption and 
economics as set out elsewhere in the PSS. For leadership, we must commit to 
at least zero carbon emissions, and treat all climate targets as minimum 
thresholds for reduction, reflecting the latest assessment of climate risk. This 
set of energy targets sit within the wider challenge to put the UK at the 
forefront of zero carbon, low energy development, enabling the UK to play its 
part in a sufficient international response to climate change." 
EN008 The policies are grouped under a set of primary objectives as listed below 
1.   Improve efficiency of energy use. 
a) Cut energy costs across all sectors through demand reductions and improved 
efficiency. 
b) Cut bills and ensure warm homes for all. 
c) Improve the energy performance of all non-domestic buildings.  
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 27  Green Party of England and Wales 
d) Lower the energy intensity of industrial processes. 
2. Increase clean low carbon energy generation from renewable sources.  
a) Accelerate the production of electricity from renewable sources. 
b) Accelerate the development of heat production from low carbon renewable sources.  
c) Develop heat networks using waste heat and seasonally stored heat for building 
heating and low temperature heat use. 
d) Prepare land and sea use planning frameworks for the development of renewable 
energy. 
e) Make carbon capture and storage (CCS) a reality.  
f) Phase out polluting and unsustainable power sources. 
3. Ensure secure, reliable and resilient energy supply. 
a) Ensure demand shifting and load balancing capacity.  
b)  Develop electricity and heat storage capacity. 
c) Develop power interconnectors with European partners. 
4. Empower energy democracy.  
a) Separate energy generation from distribution and retail.  
b) Diversify the ownership of energy generation and ensure democratic control. 
5. Develop low carbon transport. 
a) Improve energy efficiency of transport.  
b) Shift transport power sources to mainly renewable electricity. 
6. Stimulate research, development and demonstration: 
a)  - in demand reduction and efficiency techniques and materials; 
b) - in renewable energy production; 
c)  - in energy storage and demand balancing technologies. 
7. Ensure skills for the transformation are in place. 
a) Ensure rapid development of skills required for demand reduction and energy 
efficiency. 
b) Ensure the skilled workforce needed for the change to low carbon energy is 
provided. 
8. Make sure regulation of the energy system is fit for purpose. 
a) Ensure regulations require improving standards of demand reduction. 
b) Improve the regulation of energy supply. 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 28  Green Party of England and Wales 
9. Provide the means for financing the energy transformation. 
a) Stimulate demand reduction and efficiency. 
b) Establish measures for funding the change to renewable energy. 
10. Strengthen international energy policy. 
a) Work to reduce global anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations. 
b) Support development of carbon sequestration. 
Improve efficiency of energy use 
Policy 
EN110 A green Government would cut energy costs across all sectors through demand 
reductions and improved efficiency. We will set clear and consistent targets and 
timetables for improving efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 
across all sectors of the economy. We will require energy use for space heating, and 
electrical use to be reduced by a third by 2020, by half by 2030 and by two-thirds by 
2050, based on 2012 final energy demand levels. Specifically, we will aim to reduce 
total UK energy demand to 900 TWh/year by 2030, and to 600 TWh/year by 2050, i.e. 
reductions of approximately 40% and 60% respectively on 2012 final energy demand.  
EN111 We will keep the effectiveness of demand reduction and efficiency policies 
under regular review.  
EN112 The Green Party will provide local councils with the powers and resources to 
develop energy plans for their areas. These plans will be aligned with national demand 
reduction, energy efficiency and energy generation targets (see EN1.1A above). Local 
councils will be required to: 
a) link energy policy to local housing and transport plans, as well as social and 
economic issues; 
b) encourage take-up of energy efficiency investment (through varying council tax 
rates for example); 
c) engage local communities in the planning process for demand reduction and 
renewable energy generation in their areas; 
d) manage the phased withdrawal of natural gas for building heating. 
EN113 We will extend the scope of local authorities’ planning powers to include 
energy (through Local Development Frameworks for example). Specifically they will 
decide - in consultation with local communities – the extent and scope of demand 
reduction programmes, the location of heat networks, community scale energy (heat 
and power) sources, and energy storage capacity.  
EN121 A green Government would cut bills and ensure warm homes for all by 
ensuring that all new dwellings (including conversions) are built to zero carbon 
standards. However, at least three-quarters of existing housing stock (27 million 
dwellings) will remain in 2050, thus ‘retrofitting’ existing property is crucial to 
reducing demand. We will plan to reduce the energy demand in existing dwellings 
through intensive retrofit programmes. The programmes will focus first on improving 
housing conditions and reducing the energy costs of poorer households, particularly 
those suffering fuel poverty. Energy policy for housing will be focused on area–based 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 29  Green Party of England and Wales 
programmes linked with housing improvement policies and initiatives for bringing 
vacant dwellings and commercial properties into use. Domestic demand reduction will 
be supported by targeted grant regimes to ensure take-up, with special attention to 
poorer households and those suffering fuel poverty. Subsidised loans will be available 
to improve ‘hard to treat’ homes. Special care will be taken with ‘traditional buildings’ 
to avoid installation of inappropriate measures. 
EN122 Specifically, the aim is to improve the energy performance of up to 25 million 
dwellings thus reducing their energy demand by an average of 40% by 2020, 60% by 
2030 and 80% by 2050 on 2009 levels.  
EN123 The Green Party will help households suffering fuel poverty (about one fifth of 
households) through programmes including welfare help and housing retrofit to 
rapidly improve comfort levels in dwellings where housing condition is a cause of fuel 
poverty. We will aim to improve the energy performance of these dwellings where 
condition is a factor in fuel poverty by 80% by 2020 on 2009 levels. 
Amendment 3 – a : 
Proposed by: Shaun Chamberlin*, Romayne Phoenix, Bianca Madison, Jonathan 
Essex, Christopher Shaw, Melanie Strickland, Tony Cooper. 
In EN123, insert “This will dovetail with the system of tradable energy quotas 
(see CC290)” at the end. 
Amendment 4: 
Proposed by: Stuart Jeffery*, Martin Hemmingway, Alan Borgars, Andrew 
Waldie, Robin Kinrade, Matt White, Peter Allen,  
Insert after EN123: 
“EN124 A Green government will help reduce fuel poverty by mandating that 
all domestic tariffs are progressive, i.e. a lower use of energy attracts a lower 
cost per unit than higher usage. Lower energy tariffs will be set at a level to 
ensure that homes have access to a basic level of affordable energy.” 
EN131 A Green government will ensure better energy performance in buildings in the 
non-domestic sectors. We will support better energy management, design, 
construction, and innovation in materials, plant and components to achieve improved 
building performance and operation in the non-domestic sectors. Efficiency measures 
will be supported through a combination of regulation and incentives. Policies will 
apply equally to retrofit and new build. Small businesses may require specialized 
support, in the form of advice services linked to grant and loan schemes, to assist them 
to reduce energy costs and improve the energy efficiency of their operations. These 
arrangements will be part of the local authority energy planning process and 
integrated with local economic development programmes. 
EN132 Many existing non-domestic buildings will last through 2030, with at least 60% 
remaining in 2050, thus efficiency policy must address retrofit as a priority. Target 
final demand reductions on 2012 UK levels are 30% by 2020, 40% by 2030 and 75% by 
2050, allowing for increases in floorspace. 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 30  Green Party of England and Wales 
EN133 We will support neighbourhood and area-based upgrading of the energy 
efficiency of buildings through cooperative or collective action. Regulations to prevent 
leasing or renting buildings that do not meet basic energy standards will be 
progressively tightened and extended to a wider range of buildings. Tenants in all 
sectors will be enabled to require building owners to upgrade the energy performance 
of the buildings they occupy.  
EN140 The Green Party will work towards lower energy intensity of industrial 
products. We will encourage better energy management and process efficiency.  We 
will support research and development of more efficient process technologies, 
alternative fuels, materials recovery and recycling in order to drive down energy 
demand in industry and reduce the energy intensity of products. We will focus action 
on major energy users such as the chemical and food and drink industries, while 
smaller firms may require specialised support as in the commercial sector above. 
EN141 We will target energy efficiencies for the UK industrial sector of reductions on 
2012 levels of 15% by 2020, 33% by 2030 and 60% by 2050 allowing for increases in 
productivity over the period. 
Increase clean low carbon energy generation from renewable sources 
Policy
  
EN 210 A Green government will accelerate production of electricity from renewable 
and low carbon sources. We will rapidly develop new renewable energy capacity to 
meet reducing final energy demand, (see EN1.1A), primarily through clean electricity 
generation (see EN2.1B – E below). We will mandate a target to reduce carbon 
intensity of power generation to a maximum of 25gCO2 e/kWh by 2030 and to 
implement an emissions performance standard reducing in regular intervals to that 
level by 2030, with flexibility to adjust the carbon intensity target towards an average 
of 10gCO2e by 2030. Wind will provide the main source of power by 2030, followed 
later by wave and tidal power. Solar thermal, photovoltaics and hydropower will be 
important because of their potential for local and small-scale generation.  
EN211 We will aim for a largely electricity-based energy system in the UK to match a 
total final demand of about 900TWh/ year by 2030, which reduces to 600-650TWh 
/year by 2050. To meet this demand, average capacity for renewables is planned to be 
40 GW by 2020, rising to 70 GW by 2030, excluding power for demand balancing and 
load shifting. This capacity will be provided by the range of renewables set out below 
(all figures are average capacities). 
EN212 We will accelerate the deployment of both onshore and offshore wind power 
generation at rates sufficient to ensure the change to a stable electricity-based energy 
system of 87GW by 2030, but stabilising thereafter. This will require a rapid build of 
onshore wind to 2030 to provide an average capacity of 12GWe by 2030, and off-shore 
wind generation capacity will be increased to 17 GWe providing a total average 
capacity of 29GWe (including existing and currently planned capacity).  
EN213 We will support the rapid commercialisation of tidal stream and wave-powered 
generators to ensure they are able to contribute at least 5GW each by 2030, and a 
combined input of at least 20GW by 2050. 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 31  Green Party of England and Wales 
EN214 Rapid deployment of solar photovoltaics will be fully supported, as a key source 
of decentralised generation, making full use of domestic, commercial and industrial 
roofspace and limited deployment of ‘solar farms’. We will review legislation and 
planning guidance to facilitate the potential for leasing roof and site space for local 
energy generation by third parties. We will target 8GW from PVs by 2030 and 10 GW 
by 2050. 
EN215 We will urgently review UK potential for hydropower and will support in 
particular medium and small-scale installations in order to provide 3GW (average) by 
2030. We will develop the capacity of pumped storage for demand balancing, subject 
to stringent environmental safeguards. 
EN216 We will keep under review the relative contributions of all renewable sources in 
order to assess the potential for replacement or enhancement of the different 
technologies, in particular as demand reduces further beyond 2030 due to increasing 
efficiency. 
EN220 A Green government would also accelerate the development of heat 
production from low carbon renewable sources through the deployment of renewable 
heat sources including heat pumps (air and ground source) and solar thermal as well 
as heat from decentralised biomass/biogas generation. We consider solar thermal can 
produce 20GWth (thermal GW) by 2030, and 25GWth by 2050. 
EN221 We will ensure energy produced from biomass, including biogas, yields 
reductions in greenhouse gas emissions using sustainable wastes and domestic 
feedstocks for which indirect substitution emissions can be shown to be minimal. We 
will ensure that biomass generation, uses sustainably-sourced fuels produced 
according to stringent sustainability standards and is as far as possible carbon neutral. 
EN222 We will develop the use of biomass for heat supply through co-generation and 
for balancing power; new biomass power stations will be built as combined heat and 
power systems and if needed with carbon capture and storage capability.  
EN230 We will ensure the development of heat networks using waste heat and 
seasonally stored heat for building heating and low temperature heat use.  
EN231 We will give local councils responsibility for heat planning as part of their 
energy planning powers. They will plan and commission new heat networks using low 
or zero carbon heat sources, funded through discounted loans from an energy 
efficiency fund (see EN9.1A below). Networks will include heat storage capacity to 
even out seasonal variations. Buildings that could be served from the heating network 
will be liable to pay charges for network access once it is built and available for 
connection. Local authorities may directly operate heat networks or energy service 
companies, or assist local co-operative or private organisations to do the same. They 
will be given powers to introduce incentives and bylaws to phase out the use of 
natural gas boilers. 
EN232 We will support the development of a low-carbon heat market for the heating 
of homes and other buildings where there is sufficient density of demand to support 
the creation of a hot water network. Local authorities will be responsible for the 
planning of the network (see EN2.3A). The heat network will be treated as a regulated 
asset and investors will be assured a regulated rate of return paid for by owners of 
buildings connected to the network. 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 32  Green Party of England and Wales 
EN240 The Green Party will ensure the urgent preparation of sea use planning 
frameworks, in consultation with relevant agencies, to guide the development of 
marine renewable energy systems. We will review land and marine planning guidance 
and establish a clear presumption in favour of renewable energy sources - in particular 
mid-scale community-owned renewables - but within the context of environmental 
impact legislation to ensure protected areas are not harmed, biodiversity is 
safeguarded and the needs of people and wildlife are considered. We will require local 
councils to integrate their energy plans with national land and sea use planning 
guidance. 
EN250 We will assist in making carbon capture and storage (CCS) a reality by investing 
in the testing of commercial-scale CCS technology and will encourage bids for EU 
funding (such as NER300) to ensure that the UK secures a leadership position and 
competitive advantage in both the development and deployment of CCS technology 
for coal, gas, sustainable biomass and biogas power generation. 
Amendment 5: 
Proposed by: Nicola Dodgson*, Jonathan Essex, Shaun Chamberlin, Sam Riches, 
Pippa Bartolotti. 
At the end of EN250, delete: “for coal, gas, sustainable biomass and biogas 
power generation.” 
EN251 If CCS is proven at a commercial scale, we will support deployment of the 
technology, on a specifically transitional basis, to existing sustainable biomass and gas 
power stations and existing incineration plant. We will support deployment on a long 
term basis for sustainable biogas generating plant. 
EN252 We will aim for CCS to be deployed at selected coal fired power stations (as per 
the Energy Act 2010) in order to demonstrate that the technology will be capable of 
restraining emissions from coal-fired plant outside the UK. CCS will only be deployed if 
an unplanned release from storage cannot cause direct local damage. 
EN260 A green government will phase out polluting and unsustainable power sources.  
EN261 We will cancel construction of new nuclear stations and nuclear power will not 
be eligible for government subsidy; the Green Party opposes all nuclear power 
generation and is particularly opposed to the construction of new nuclear power 
stations, electricity from which is likely to be significantly more expensive per unit 
supplied than other low-carbon energy sources, and too slow to deploy to meet our 
pressing energy needs. Cancellation will avoid the costs and dangers of nuclear energy 
and waste being passed on to future generations long after any benefits have been 
exhausted. 
Amendment 1 - d 
Proposed by: Oliver Price*, Ashley Rolleston, Paul Jenkins, Natasha Thrale, Lowri 
Nia Knibbs Vaughn, Ian Norris, Keri Edmonds, Chris Pritchard. 
Delete EN261 and Replace with: The Green Party supports the building of 
modern design nuclear power plants (Generation III+), alongside renewable 
sources. Nuclear power is an important base load source and should remain a 
part of a balanced mix of energy sources to meet the demands of the UK 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 33  Green Party of England and Wales 
national grid. Nuclear power has come a long way over the last few decades 
and we feel that using older reactor designs to flavour discussion of the current 
reactor technology is unfair. 
The Green Party will also ensure tight regulation of all generators for the safety 
and wellbeing of the populous. Violation of safety regulations will result in 
severe penalties including revoking of licenses (without compensation) or 
criminal prosecution against negligent staff or management. 
EN262 Money earmarked for new nuclear plant research, development and 
construction will be reallocated  to energy efficiency measures and renewable energy 
infrastructure, but sufficient funding for decommissioning redundant power stations, 
and for research into the safe storage or disposal of existing radioactive waste 
stockpiles will be retained. 
Amendment 1 – e: 
Proposed by: Oliver Price*, Ashley Rolleston, Paul Jenkins, Natasha Thrale, Lowri 
Nia Knibbs Vaughn, Ian Norris, Keri Edmonds, Chris Pritchard. 
Delete EN262 and replace with: The Green Party will increase funding to 
energy research and development for both renewable and nuclear 
technologies including - but not limited to - molten salt reactors such as LFTR, 
fusion (JET and ITER), photovoltaic solar panels (PV), wind turbines and 
hydroelectric power. Allocation of funding should be decided upon by the 
relevant research councils in the UK, such as the EPSRC, because an expert 
panel of scientists and engineers is better placed to make decisions about the 
future direction of energy research than politicians. 
EN263 The Green Party is opposed to the use of coal without carbon and sulphur 
capture technology and will phase out existing coal-fired power stations as soon as 
possible, except for the selected plants needed for commercial CCS demonstration (see 
EN252). 
EN264 We will halt the development of coal-bed methane, shale gas and similar 
hydrocarbon exploitation since it is not needed to meet UK energy demands, is 
environmentally destructive, and will lead to increasing GHG emissions. 
EN265 Incineration of municipal, commercial and industrial waste is not required for 
energy generation, therefore all existing waste incineration stations will be phased out 
as soon as possible. 
Ensure secure, reliable and resilient energy supply 
Policy 
EN310  A Green government will ensure demand management and load balancing 
capacity: security of energy supply will be achieved as power generation changes to 
UK-based renewables. We will ensure that the transmission and distribution of energy 
keeps pace with the change to renewable energy production, as well as the 
restructuring of supply resulting from policies in EN 4.1 et seq. below, and as the 
increasing amount of decentralisation due to local and microgeneration impacts on 
the system. We will ensure the changing requirements for demand management and 
load balancing are accommodated and reliable energy supply guaranteed.  
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 34  Green Party of England and Wales 
EN311 Local system operators will be given the responsibility for managing local 
storage and incentivising provision of local demand management techniques to 
manage the fluctuations in supply and demand of energy in their areas. We will 
support the installation of genuinely smart meters in all buildings linked to smart 
appliances (such as smart fridges and air conditioning) that will automatically respond 
to fluctuations in supply and demand to minimise energy use and align periods of 
heavy usage with times of low cost, according to user preference. 
EN312 We will ensure the development of energy storage capacity through 
investment in development and deployment of the energy storage capacity needed to 
balance daily and seasonal demand fluctuations. 
EN313 We will consider electricity and heat storage in a separate subsidy or 
investment category from generation, transmission, distribution and supply in order to 
ensure rapid deployment and will adapt market mechanisms to ensure storage at the 
distribution level is valued both for its role in network reinforcement and in electricity 
trading. 
EN320 A green government will develop power interconnectors with European 
partners and will invest in the electricity interconnectors needed to provide 
international flows of renewable power for balancing fluctuating energy demand, in 
cooperation with countries such as Iceland (with substantial geothermal power 
resources), Norway (with considerable pumped storage capacity and hydropower 
supply) and Ireland (with substantial wind power potential) 
Empower energy democracy 
Policy
  
EN410 A green government will separate energy generation from supply and retail. 
EN411We will legislate to separate large energy generators from suppliers. The price 
of power will continue to be set according to the wholesale market where we expect 
the majority of electricity to be traded. Renewables (wind, wave, tidal stream, solar 
and hydro) will receive a fixed price feed-in tariff. Flexible renewable generators that 
can decide when to operate (biogas, tidal stream) will receive a premium feed-in tariff 
to incentivise provision of capacity at times of peak demand. Demand reduction will be 
incentivised through demand-side feed-in tariffs available to customers and third 
parties acting on behalf of customers. We will remove existing market barriers that 
prevent demand-shifting by large energy users and aggregators working on behalf of 
or supplying small end-users. Community and decentralised generation will be 
supported by fixed price feed-in tariffs. All of the above feed-in tariffs will be reduced 
gradually, in accordance with each technology’s cost reduction curve. Sufficient time 
between the announcement of revised tariffs and their implementation will be 
provided for industries to plan for any reduction in tariff rates. 
Amendment 3 – b : 
Proposed by: Shaun Chamberlin*, Romayne Phoenix, Bianca Madison, Jonathan 
Essex, Christopher Shaw, Melanie Strickland, Tony Cooper. 
In EN411, after the line “Demand reduction will be incentivised through 
demand-side feed-in tariffs available to customers and third parties acting on 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 35  Green Party of England and Wales 
behalf of customers” insert “, working alongside the system of tradable energy 
quotas (see CC290).” 
EN412 The Green Party will outlaw ownership of energy retail by profit making 
companies that have a stake in energy production, unless the generation is wholly 
renewable. The current pattern of vertical ownership has worked to concentrate 
market power into an oligopoly, to the detriment of energy conservation and price 
competition. Vertically-integrated energy companies will be required to divest their 
ownership in energy retail (currently the least profitable aspect of the energy 
industry). Energy retail will be conducted by community-owned, municipally-owned or 
cooperative not-for-profit regional monopolies and we will require open-book 
accounting practices to ensure fair pricing, sufficient investment and good value for 
consumers.  
EN420 A Green government will diversify the ownership of energy generation and 
ensure democratic control. We will purchase large-scale renewable plant in order to 
secure public sector energy provision at best value and increase wider competition in 
energy supply. However we would expect new large-scale generation plant (off-shore 
wind, concentrated solar power, sustainable biomass, wave and tidal) and electricity 
transmission and distribution to continue to be built and owned by private companies.   
EN421 We will encourage the ownership of decentralised energy production and 
energy saving by community and municipal companies. This will be enabled through 
favourable supply and demand feed-in tariffs as well as relief from all transmission 
charges and disproportionate distribution charges for local generation. Small-scale 
and community-owned renewables will be provided with fixed price feed-in tariffs for 
installations of up to 50MW to ensure their output can be sold for a fair price. 
Community groups, cooperatives and local authorities would be supported by the 
Green Investment Bank to purchase renewable power plant and contribute to local 
energy supply at competitive rates.  
Develop low carbon transport 
Policy 
EN510 A Green government will reduce the energy demand from transport; we will 
work with rail and bus fleet operators, transport authorities and the automotive 
industry to target improvements in the energy efficiency of trains, coaches and 
vehicles. We will work with the automotive industry to target overall improvement in 
vehicle energy efficiency of one third on 2012 levels by 2030, and use regulations and 
taxes to promote substantial reductions in weight, size and power of vehicles.  
EN511 Energy and transport policy will be linked at national and local level to reduce 
the demand for travel and will promote full integration of bus, coach and rail services 
to improve the potential for personal/public transport interchange. We will work with 
rail operators to increase the transfer of freight to rail and with both bus and rail 
operators to increase passenger use. 
EN512 We will work with the domestic aviation and shipping industry to improve fleet 
efficiencies and to reduce GHG emissions and explore options for shifting to 
alternative fuels.  
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 36  Green Party of England and Wales 
EN513 Multilateral agreements with relevant countries and organisations will be 
sought in order to reduce energy use and GHG emission of international air transport 
and shipping. 
EN520 We will ensure the shift of transport power sources to mainly renewable 
electricity. 
EN521 Full electrification of the rail network and bus fleet by 2030 will be targeted. 
EN522 We will incentivise a shift from most motorised road transport to buses, rail 
and cycling.  We will focus on changing road transport (mainly personal transport and 
vans) to electricity in order to remove reliance on petroleum for transport and achieve 
significant reductions in GHG emissions, major improvement in urban pollution levels 
(with substantial quantifiable health benefits) as well as safety for other road users. 
We will support rapid development of electric transport technologies including 
batteries and charging infrastructure, and will collaborate with the logistics industry 
to develop options for HGVs (24% of road transport energy) including alternative fuels, 
electric and hybrid vehicles.  
EN523 We will aim for a 30% shift to electricity by 2030 and 90-100% by 2050 for cars 
and vans; the target for HGVs will be 20% electric by 2030 and 90-100% by 2050. 
Support research, development and demonstration 
Policy 
EN610 The Green Party will support RD&D in demand reduction and efficiency 
techniques and materials. Funding will be provided for energy efficiency technologies 
in all sectors to rapidly drive up the pace of innovation and performance, and to reduce 
energy intensity of materials, industrial processes and products. Support will be 
targeted at: 
a) building fabric and performance efficiency in all sectors including design, 
procurement, construction and operation processes, innovative materials and 
components; 
b) process and product efficiencies in industry; 
c) behaviour of energy users and performance-in-practice of efficiency techniques. 
EN611 We will support research into methods of financing energy efficiency and 
renewables including the accurate pricing-in of co-benefits such as pollution reduction 
and other strategic effects. 
EN620 We will support RD&D in renewable energy production: funding will be 
provided to support research, development and cost reduction for renewable and low 
carbon power generation technologies. Priority technologies for research and 
development will be: 
a) tidal stream and wave power; 
b) large and small scale photovoltaic and solar thermal installation; 
c) biogas generation and associated logistic infrastructure.  
EN630 A Green government will support RD&D in energy storage and demand 
balancing technologies. 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 37  Green Party of England and Wales 
EN631 We will accelerate the development of ‘smart grid’ technology, demand 
management and load shifting technologies, as well as heat and electricity storage 
technologies to enable de-centralised energy systems. We will support R&D for: 
a) dynamic demand appliance technologies; 
b) hydrogen production as energy carrier and store using surplus renewable 
electricity; 
c) fuel cells, compressed and liquefied gas storage, flywheels, super magnetic 
energy storage and lithium iron batteries.  
Ensure the skills needed for the transformation are in place 
Policy 
EN710 The Green Party will ensure rapid development of skills required for demand 
reduction and energy efficiency and will expand, in cooperation with the vocational, 
education and training sector, a major programme to develop the skilled workforce 
capable of supporting the pace of programmes required to meet demand reduction 
and energy efficiency targets, and to design, construct and operate buildings and 
processes which meet stringent efficiency standards. We will also ensure provision of 
training for expert assessment and monitoring of performance and compliance across 
the energy spectrum. 
EN711 We will support continuing professional development programmes
  to ensure 
trainers are adequately qualified and experienced, and will ensure that energy 
efficiency modules within college and apprenticeship frameworks are mandatory. 
EN712 Training programmes will be jointly funded with industry to develop the skill 
base needed in energy management, assessment and monitoring, as well as in energy- 
related construction, manufacturing and design professions.  
EN720 We will ensure the skilled workforce needed for the change to low carbon 
energy is provided through the rapid expansion of training, ‘upskilling’ and skills 
transfer programmes aimed at creating the substantial work force needed to support 
the change to renewable energy generation, supply and distribution.  
EN721 We will work with the existing energy industries to maximise benefits of 
transferring skills and expertise, making best use of existing skilled and expert 
personnel, as the energy landscape changes.  
Make sure regulation and monitoring of the energy system is fit for purpose 
Policy 
EN810 A Green government will ensure regulations require improving standards for 
demand reduction and will establish an independent regulatory body with appropriate 
powers to oversee the implementation of demand reduction and efficiency measures 
in the interests of consumers. 
Amendment 6: 
 Proposed by: Pippa Bartalotti*, Jonathan Essex, Ann Were, Andrew Cooper. 
Insert the following sentence at the start of EN810 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 38  Green Party of England and Wales 
"Ensure UK legislation provides for right of grid access for renewable energy 
installations at all times, and that grid balancing becomes an enabler for 
priority access of renewables." 
EN811 We will ensure that building regulations, as well as other energy efficiency 
standards and sustainability accreditation systems, are fit for purpose and consistent 
with national policies and local authority energy plans. Mandatory standards and 
accreditation schemes will be based on measured building performance.  
EN812 Demand reduction and efficiency regulations and standards will be applied to 
existing buildings, including listed buildings and conservation areas, as well as new 
buildings; landlords will be required to ensure that the energy performance of their 
buildings is improved at their own expense in line with a phased programme of 
increasing efficiency standards. 
EN813 Companies will be required to disclose their energy use and associated carbon 
emissions in total, against appropriate benchmarking data, to enable performance 
comparison by sector.  
EN814 Institutional investors will be required to disclose risks due to investments in 
companies dependent upon unburnable fossil fuel reserves, and we will work with 
investors to investigate alternative investments in energy efficiency and renewable 
energy. 
EN815 We will regulate energy efficiency standards in electrical appliances and 
equipment in order to progressively reduce energy use and promote the development 
of smart controls for monitoring and managing energy use according to people’s 
preferences. 
EN816 We will introduce regulations requiring the embodied carbon (carbon footprint) 
of materials, goods and service to be clearly indentified and taken into account in 
procurement arrangements and contract procedures. 
EN820 We will improve regulation of energy supply and will review all existing energy- 
related policy,  retiring policies that have not proved effective at reducing demand and 
carbon emissions or at driving increased renewable capacity. We will ensure wherever 
possible that policies do not overlap; simplifying the policy landscape will reduce the 
cost of regulatory compliance. 
EN821 We will urgently review the effectiveness of energy-related regulatory bodies 
such as Ofgem to ensure they have the appropriate powers and resources to carry out 
their functions in relation to the rapidly evolving energy supply and distribution 
system envisaged in this policy. 
EN823 We will establish the legislation and regulations necessary for the restructuring 
of the energy supply industry, to enable the separation of generators from suppliers, 
and to support and regulate local ownership of energy supply and distribution. 
EN824 Generation plant that is currently incentivised to produce diverse and low 
carbon electricity through price incentives like the Renewable Obligation and 
successor schemes will be required to disclose to the regulator how much they invest 
in UK assets. By regulating prices for generation, transmission and distribution, the 
regulator will ensure that disproportionate financial gains are not accrued by any 
market actors. We will require greater transparency in accounting and disclosure of 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 39  Green Party of England and Wales 
spending by renewable energy generators to ensure that companies do not take 
advantage of energy consumers by colluding to keep prices artificially high. 
EN830 To ensure effective monitoring of compliance we will set clear trajectories for 
tightening regulations over time. We will regularly review the effectiveness of 
regulation, and support research needed for this purpose. 
EN831 We will provide the resources for effective monitoring of compliance with 
regulations at both local and national level.  
Provide the means for financing the energy transformation  
Policy 
EN910 In order to stimulate demand reduction and efficiency, a Green government 
will use revenues from the carbon floor price and other energy taxes to create a 
revolving energy efficiency fund. Energy taxes are estimated to raise around £260 
billion between 2013-2027. This will be used: 
a) for homes, community organisations and small businesses to ensure energy bills 
are brought under control; 
b) to ensure homes can be kept warm affordably;  
c) to provide grants to improve the energy efficiency of fuel poor households;  
d) to subsidise where needed the interest rates paid on energy efficiency loans for 
owners of buildings;  
e) to support heat network development; 
f) to help industry change to a low carbon economy.  
Amendment 3 – c: 
Proposed by: Shaun Chamberlin*, Romayne Phoenix, Bianca Madison, Jonathan 
Essex, Christopher Shaw, Melanie Strickland, Tony Cooper. 
In EN910 change “revenues from the carbon floor price and other energy 
taxes” to “revenues from carbon quotas (see CC290), the carbon floor price and 
other energy taxes”. 
EN911 The existing level of “carbon tax” paid on fossil fuels used in electricity 
production will be extended to all fossil fuels and to methane emissions from 
extracting gas and coal. Therefore all fossil fuel use and extraction in the UK will be 
exposed to carbon taxes that will increase at a pre-determined trajectory. These 
carbon taxes will supplement the discredited EU-Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) 
that has been so ineffective at reducing emissions and discouraging high-carbon 
power generation. Rather than relying on the EU-ETS, the design and operation of 
which have proved susceptible to lobbying and manipulation by energy-intensive 
firms and nations, we will expand the carbon floor price to apply to all greenhouse 
gases emitted in the UK. 
Amendment 3 – d: 
Proposed by: Shaun Chamberlin*, Romayne Phoenix, Bianca Madison, Jonathan 
Essex, Christopher Shaw, Melanie Strickland, Tony Cooper. 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 40  Green Party of England and Wales 
In EN911 change “all fossil fuel use and extraction in the UK will be exposed to 
carbon taxes” to “all fossil fuel use and extraction in the UK will be exposed to 
carbon quotas (see CC290) and taxes”. 
EN912 We will establish frameworks for funding demand reduction and energy 
efficiency measures through feed-in tariff payments for efficiency schemes based on 
measured energy savings, VAT reductions on demand reduction work, council 
tax/business rate rebates and other tax breaks, and grants for approved works.  
EN913 We will provide energy efficiency loans; the interest rate on loans will be 
subsidised by the Green Investment Bank to be less than the rate of inflation. The 
more ambitious the project in terms of percentage of energy saved, the greater the 
level of interest rate subsidy that will be provided. Reliable and objective assessments 
will be conducted to measure energy savings. There will be discounts available to help 
finance higher cost measures. 
EN914 We will underwrite ‘green bonds’ via the Green Investment Bank to fund 
investment in deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technology, with 
tax breaks provided to retail and institutional investors for purchasing green bonds.  
EN915 We will require the public sector and encourage other sectors to use their 
substantial combined spending power to incentivise efficient technology 
development, improve construction standards and reduce the carbon (and energy) 
footprint of goods, services, vehicles and buildings purchased. We will restrict the 
public sector to purchasing from only the top quartile of available options by energy 
efficiency. 
EN920 Measures for funding the change to renewable energy will be established. 
EN921 We will immediately consult with industry and other experts to ensure that 
Electricity Market Reform (EMR) measures and other policies in the 2013 Energy Act 
facilitate rather than impede maximum deployment of renewables and energy 
efficiency technologies. 
EN922 We will introduce auctions for wind contracts as soon as possible, with auctions 
designed to ensure a minimum amount of offshore wind is contracted, in line with 
technology development, and will consult on and introduce a green power auction 
market (GPAM) that will deliver a stable price to independent generators, provide 
them with a reliable route to market and significantly reduce the cost of energy to 
citizens. The GPAM will be designed to meet the needs of small generators for whom 
the contract for difference arrangements will likely prove too complex and/or 
commercially unviable.   
EN923 We will extend the cap on small-scale feed-in tariffs to 50MW.  
EN924 Following consultation, we will replace complex contract-for-difference 
arrangements with feed-in tariffs that will decline with the decreasing cost of each 
energy generation and energy efficiency technology, with rates set at regular intervals 
and announced as far in advance as possible.  
EN925 We will replace flawed capacity market proposals likely to be high-cost and 
open to manipulation with an extension to the short term operating reserve and 
funding for establishing required levels of interconnection.  
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 41  Green Party of England and Wales 
EN926 We will review capital market conditions and set out options to support 
mobilisation of new sources of finance, such as from banks and institutional investors. 
This will include possible roles for Infrastructure UK and the Green Investment Bank. 
EN927 In accordance with the UK’s international G20 commitments, we will phase out 
socially and environmentally-destructive subsidies and tax breaks for fossil fuel 
extraction and production, using international best practice to maximise the chance of 
success, including: 
a) an independent and transparent assessment of the full extent, function and 
impacts of fossil fuel subsidies and the processes and players involved in their 
creation and operation; 
b) analysis of possible adverse impacts of reform and likely stakeholder response; 
c) early stakeholder consultation to ensure needs and concerns are understood and 
to enable design of appropriate mitigating measures where necessary; 
d) targeted support for vulnerable groups with sun-setting clauses to ensure that the 
fiscal burden of fossil fuel subsidies is not replaced by that of entrenched mitigating 
policies; 
e) phased removal to enable recipients to adjust and for mitigating measures to be 
implemented without allowing vested interests to delay reforms; 
f) use of independent organisations and automatic and transparent mechanisms to 
set fossil fuel prices post-reform. 
Money saved from eliminating regressive fossil fuel subsidies will be used to support 
energy efficiency measures as well as the diversification and restructuring of the 
energy generation and supply networks and the elimination of fuel poverty. 
Strengthen International energy policy 
Policy  
EN1001 A Green government will work with relevant international agencies to reduce 
global greenhouse gas emissions. We will work with EU partners to improve and 
tighten EU regulations on energy efficiency and carbon reduction; this will include 
seeking to improve the current EU Emissions Trading Scheme and development of 
measures to reduce the embodied carbon of goods traded within the EU. 
EN1002 We will seek multilateral agreements to limit the impact of international air 
traffic and shipping on GHG emissions, and to improve the energy efficiency of 
shipping. 
EN1003  We will work at EU and international level to halt the exploitation of ‘extreme 
fossil fuels’, including polar and deep sea exploitation as well as extraction of oil and 
gas from tar sands and shale. 
EN1004: We will strongly support UN and other international efforts to curb GHG 
emissions in the context of climate change negotiations and through cooperation on 
environmentally responsible energy policy. 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 42  Green Party of England and Wales 
EN1005 The Green Party will support and encourage the transfer and exchange of 
energy efficiency, renewable energy generation distribution and storage technology 
and expertise between nations  
EN1006 We will seek to rapidly advance international coordinated research, 
development and deployment of techniques for carbon capture and storage. 
End of new energy policy chapter. 
In addition to changes to the energy chapter, changes are required to other chapters 
to ensure consistency with the proposed replacement energy chapter. 
Insert new CC202 and renumber current CC202 – 205 accordingly. 
CC202 In 2030 the targeted 10% as in CC201 (approximately 80 MtCO2e) UK GHG 
emissions per year will be split approximately as follows: 
• 100 MtCO2e for energy as covered by the Energy chapter. This includes buildings, 
travel and industry but excludes international air and shipping as per the Kyoto 
protocol; 
• 20 MtCO2e for food and agriculture as covered by the Food and Agriculture chapter 
• -40 MtCO2e for sequestration covered by Forestry and Food and Agriculture 
In addition the target is 20 MtCO2e for international air travel and shipping. 
Embedded emissions in imports (minus exports) are not included in these targets. 
Changing land use for food imports is also not included in these targets. 
Amendment 7: 
Proposed by: Nicola Dodgson*, Jonathan Essex, Shaun Chamberlin, Sam Riches, 
Pippa Bartolotti. 
Delete the last two sentences of CC202 and replace with: 
"Embedded emissions in imports (minus exports) are included in these targets. 
Changing land use overseas for food or other imports are also included in these 
targets." 
Current CC281 
CC281 A reduction in livestock farming will have implications for land use, agriculture 
and human diets. Our policies for sustainable agriculture (see Agriculture chapter as 
well as EU542, EC952, CY524, EN508, FD302) will achieve a transition away from the 
production of animal products towards production for predominantly plant-based 
diets and bring other opportunities for farmers to diversify. The Green Party will 
manage this transition sensitively, so as well as reducing direct and indirect 
greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation, it will bring benefits for farmers, 
consumers, the environment and animal welfare (see AR403). 
Delete “EN508, “ from CC281. 
Current CC290 
CC290 The principles of C&C would also provide the basis for reductions in emissions 
within the UK, through the introduction of a system of tradable quotas. This system 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 43  Green Party of England and Wales 
should cover all emissions of carbon dioxide produced by burning of fossil fuels in the 
UK. On introduction of the system the total carbon quota would be equivalent to 
current emission levels, but would reduce year-on- year to meet the targets set out in 
section C1 Carbon quota would be needed for all purchases of electricity (if not from a 
renewable source), air flights and direct purchase of fossil fuels including gas, coal, 
petrol, diesel and fuel oil. Consideration would be given to also including long distance 
train travel. A system for buying and selling quotas would be established. 
Delete CC290. 
Amendment 3 – e: 
Proposed by: Shaun Chamberlin*, Romayne Phoenix, Bianca Madison, Jonathan 
Essex, Christopher Shaw, Melanie Strickland, Tony Cooper. 
Remove instruction to Delete CC290 
Current CC291 
CC291 A proportion of the total quota would be distributed free of charge to all 
eligible individuals in the UK, with all adults receiving an equal amount. The remaining 
quota would be sold to organisations (public, private and voluntary) by a system set up 
by the government. 
Delete CC291. 
Amendment 3 – f: 
Proposed by: Shaun Chamberlin*, Romayne Phoenix, Bianca Madison, Jonathan 
Essex, Christopher Shaw, Melanie Strickland, Tony Cooper. 
Remove instruction to Delete CC291 
Current CC292 
CC292 In addition to the introduction of quotas there would be a major programme of 
investment in energy conservation, energy efficient appliances, public transport and 
renewable energy technology, so that people are able to live within their quotas. This 
investment would be achieved through a programme of public spending and through 
the revision of technical standards, such as building regulations and standards for 
energy efficiency of appliances. The details of these measures are set out elsewhere in 
the PSS. See in particular: 
AG206 (Agriculture) 
EC786 (UK Taxation). 
EC921 (International Economic Management) 
EN500-511 (Energy Conservation) 
EN800-816 (Renewables) 
EU521-2 (Transport within the EU) 
F202 (Forestry) 
HO501-2 & 605 (House Building Standards) 
LP403 (Building Location) 
LP500-504 (Conservation in Buildings) 
TR010 (Transport - Aims) 
TR040-049 (Renewable Fuels) 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 44  Green Party of England and Wales 
TR063-066 (Charges and Taxes) 
TR100-102 (School Transport) 
TR200 (Public Transport) 
TR300 (Personal motorised transport) 
TR330 (Freight) 
TR430-1 (Shipping) 
TR500-3 & 550 (Air Transport) 
Delete “In addition to the introduction of quotas there would” with “There shall” in 
CC292. 
Delete “, so that people are able to live within their quotas” in CC292. 
Amendment 3 – g: 
Proposed by: Shaun Chamberlin*, Romayne Phoenix, Bianca Madison, Jonathan 
Essex, Christopher Shaw, Melanie Strickland, Tony Cooper. 
Remove instruction to Delete “In addition to the introduction of quotas there 
would” with “There shall” and “, so that people are able to live within their 
quotas” from CC292. 
Replace “EN500-511 (Energy Conservation) and EN800-816 (Renewables)”  with 
“EN610-631 (RD&D), EN810-824 (Regulation), EN910-927 (Finance)” in CC292. 
Current EC783 
EC783 The principal way of reducing UK carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels will 
be through a system of tradable quotas (see CC290). A resource tax on fossil fuels may 
be levied to reflect other environmental impacts of their production and use. 
Delete “a system of tradable quotas (see CC290)” and replace with “carbon taxes (see 
EN910-927)” in EC783. 
Delete “A resource tax on fossil fuels may be levied to reflect other environmental 
impacts of their production and use.” in EC783. 
Current EC1032  
EC1032 The Green Party's policies on Transport and Taxation, in particular our policies 
on fuel taxation, import duties and transport planning address these issues 
(see TR030 to TR038 and TR040 to TR049, EC786). 
Replace TR049 with TR048 in EC1032. 
Current FA420 (c ) 
To reduce fossil fuel use and the vulnerability of global food supply to climate change 
and rises in the price of fossil fuel, we will support localisation, self-reliance and a 
shortening of the food chain, together with more equitable trade and distribution of 
food globally. (See CC022, EN106, FA440-448, FA500-502) 
Delete “EN106, “ from FA420 (c ). 
Current FA636 
FA636 The Green Party will shift subsidies away from highly mechanised, fossil fuel- 
dependent agriculture towards low-input and low-impact agriculture. We will assist 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 45  Green Party of England and Wales 
farmers in making a transition to more sustainable and more labour-intensive 
methods of production. We will use taxes, regulation and subsidies to discourage large 
land holdings, amalgamation of farms and the use of monocultures in agriculture and 
to support smaller farms and greater agricultural diversity. (See also CY522- 
3, EN509, EU542) 
Delete “EN509, “ from FA636. 
Current FA740 
FA470 The Green Party will encourage diversification to non-food crops on an 
appropriate and sustainable scale, for instance on land of marginal agricultural value 
and to provide materials currently derived from fossil fuels. We will encourage small- 
scale and appropriate use of crop residues and by-products, including retention on the 
land to maintain soil organic matter, composting and biogas generation. (See 
also EN814, EU545 and NR413)  
Replace “EN814” with “EN222” in FA740. 
Current FA742 
FA742 The Green Party supports the appropriate siting of wind turbines on agricultural 
land and solar energy systems on farm buildings. Every farm would be entitled to a 
free survey by an approved body to determine the most appropriate renewable energy 
source for their farm and to provide information on ways of funding and enhancing 
their investment. (See also EN817).  
Replace “EN817” with “EN240” in FA742. 
Current HO502 
HO502 All new housing will be designed for low energy use, and the same standards 
applied retrospectively to existing houses where practicable. All sellers of houses will 
make energy use estimates available to buyers (See EN506). For existing houses 
insulation publicity campaigns and grants to low income households will encourage 
energy efficiency. (See HO605 below) 
Replace “EN506” with “EN812” in HO502. 
Current IN623 
IN623 Industries that need targeting include pollution control (see Pollution); 
transport (see Transport); energy conservation and generation (see Energy); 
agriculture (see Agriculture); and materials reuse (see Natural Resources). Some 
industries are important but must be radically altered, for example, the defence and 
chemical industries (see PD312-PD313). Other industries can never be sustainable and 
must be phased out, for example, the nuclear industry (see EN600). Reduction of 
employment in declining or undesirable industries must be managed in a socially 
responsible manner. 
Replace “EN600” with “EN140-141 and EN261” in IN623. 
Current MC378 
MC378 The Green Party is in favour of harnessing the potential of tidal energy at 
estuaries subject to environmental and sustainability criteria being met. See EN816 for 
more information. 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 46  Green Party of England and Wales 
Replace “EN816” with “EN213” in MC378. 
Current NR413 
NR413 Water companies will be required to enter into joint arrangements with 
Regional Waste Disposal Authorities to build digestion plants to produce biogas 
and/or compost from organic waste from agricultural sources, sewage and municipal 
waste (see EN812). The discharge into domestic sewers of polluting waste from 
industry which would detrimentally affect digestion or digestion products will be 
prohibited. 
Replace “EN812” with “EN222” in NR413. 
Current NR415 viii) 
viii) nevertheless large-scale incineration of residual waste (that is after dry-recyclables 
and compostable waste have been removed so far as they can be) is usually 
dangerously polluting, and still creates a toxic final product for landfill (see EN813); 
Delete “(see EN813)” from NR415 viii). 
Current NR423 
NR423 A system of Resource Taxation will be introduced (see EC780s, EN501) to 
impose a levy at the earliest possible point in the harvesting or extraction processes 
for all natural resources. The Natural Resource Tax will be applied at the forest, quarry, 
mine or port of entry, with the Natural Resources Department advising the Treasury 
on the levels at which it should be set. Resource Taxes will be levied at a zero or 
reduced rate on recycled materials and at a zero rate on reused products. The effect of 
Resource Taxation will be to encourage not only sustainable production but also waste 
reduction, recycling and avoidance through reuse and repair. As a transitional step 
towards the full introduction of Resource Taxation, a zero VAT rating will be 
introduced for the use of recycled materials and reused packaging. 
Delete “, EN501” from NR423. 
Current TM054 
TM054 Canals and other waterways offer sustainable opportunities for tourism with 
limited consumption of resources. We encourage the use of renewable energy and 
sustainable fuels for waterborne transport (see EN302). Canals, rivers and waterways 
used for tourism need to be managed to ensure minimum disruption to the local 
ecology by tourist activities there. Speed restrictions on motorised craft must be 
enforced. 
Delete “(see EN302)” from TM054. 
Current TR049 
TR049 However, even with an aggressive programme of conservation and the 
adoption of Green Party transport and other policies, it will be difficult to produce 
enough energy from renewable resources to meet current demand. A large-scale 
programme of personal electric vehicle introduction is inappropriate until great 
progress has been made in energy conservation and renewable energy production 
generally. The Green Party does not advocate it as a solution to transport problems. 
Delete TR049 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 47  Green Party of England and Wales 
Amendment 1 – f: 
Proposed by: Oliver Price*, Ashley Rolleston, Paul Jenkins, Natasha Thrale, Lowri 
Nia Knibbs Vaughn, Ian Norris, Keri Edmonds, Chris Pritchard. 
EU501 The Green Party supports the closure of all nuclear programmes in the 
EU and elsewhere as soon as technically feasible. 
In EU501 delete “the closure of all nuclear programmes in the EU and 
elsewhere as soon as technically feasible.” 
And replace with: 
“a balanced expansion of nuclear programmes in the EU where doing so will 
prevent the building of fossil fuelled power plants.” 
So that it reads: 
EU501 The Green Party supports a balanced expansion of nuclear programmes 
in the EU where doing so will prevent the building of fossil fuelled power 
plants. 
Original EU502 & EU503 
EU502 The Euratom Treaty should be rapidly brought to an end. In the 
meantime, the Treaty should become subject to oversight by the European 
Parliament, and to the ordinary legislative procedure. A new Energy Chapter in 
the Treaty of European Union should promote the use of renewable energy 
sources, energy efficiency, and sustainable energy sources. The Chapter should 
deal with all matters relating to energy generation in a coherent , 
comprehensive and balanced fashion. 
EU503 The International Atomic Energy Agency, the Nuclear Agency and the 
European Atomic Energy Agency should be fused into one body responsible for 
decommissioning nuclear installations. That body should become part of the 
International Alternative Energy Agency responsible for the promotion and 
development of alternative energy sources. 
Delete EU502 and EU503 and renumber 
Original EU504 
EU504 In the meantime, the Euratom Treaty should be revised so its objective 
no longer remains the promotion of nuclear power. It should be limited to 
matters of safety of installations and protection of health of workers in the 
industry and affected populations. 
Replace EU504 (which would now be EU502) with: 
EU504 The Green Party should push to add additional clauses to the Euratom 
Treaty to invest in the future of nuclear power through investments in nuclear 
science research. 
Original EU505 & 506 
EU505 The Euratom Treaty should include: a legal right for neighbouring 
countries to participate in the procedures concerning the construction, 
operation and decommissioning of nuclear plants; "same for all" safety 
Autumn Conference 2014, First Agenda   Page 48  Green Party of England and Wales 
standards at the highest level for nuclear plants; tighter radiation protection 
standards (following the ALAP as low as possible principle instead of ALARA as 
low as reasonably achievable); full legal liability for damages for the 
manufacturers and operators of nuclear installations, and a requirement for 
full and open access to data and provision of information. 
EU506 The transfer of employees within the energy industry from nuclear to 
other energy sectors is a European priority. Within the EU regional economic 
policies must take into account the possibility of structural unemployment 
resulting from the closure in the short-term in some countries. Co-operation 
should continue on safest possible nuclear waste storage and disposal, and 
involve any state with a nuclear industry. 
Delete EU505 and 506 and renumber 
Original EU507 
EU507 Research, which is currently subsidising big industries such as 
biotechnology, nuclear and aeronautics, should be redirected into ecologically 
sustainable projects. 
Delete EU507 and Replace with: 
EU507 We support the augmentation of research that can further lessen 
dependence on fossil fuels for a sustainable future. Such research should 
include solar, wind, and nuclear technologies such as fusion and molten salt 
reactors. 
Original HE324 
HE324 The Green Party will support research into healthcare at all levels, but 
especially into public health, epidemiology, nursing and community care, and 
particularly in the community and primary care settings. The Green Party will 
prioritise research and appropriate funding into the environmental causes of 
cancer. 
The Green Party will set in place methods whereby statistics necessary for 
research into assessment of health risks (particularly in areas where heavy, 
chemical and nuclear industries are located), are available with the maximum 
accessibility for all academic, commercial or individual use. All existing health 
statistics to also be made freely available.   
The Green Party will introduce procedures for dealing with medical/scientific 
personnel whose positions in the research and/or licensing system give rise to 
conflicts of interest.  
Steps shall be taken to ensure that medical research should meet the identified 
medical needs of society, and to make medical research institutions 
democratically accountable. We shall seek to end the situation whereby 
commercial investment determines research programmes in universities and 
public institutions. Attention shall be given to basic health research areas 
which have been neglected in the past.  Rigorous assessment, monitoring and 
audit of new technologies will be undertaken prior to their general application. 
Policy on animal experiments is contained in the Animal Rights section. While 
animal experiments continue to be used in medical research, the Green Party 
will press for a thorough evaluation of animal tests used to predict safety and 
effectiveness of medicines and treatments, based on a comparison of existing 
research and data using animal tests with equivalent human biology-based 
tests, to determine the best means to predict the safety and effectiveness of 
medicines and treatments for patients The Green Party acknowledges the 
existing and potential future benefits to humans and other animals from stem 
cell technologies, using both adult and embryonic cellular material. These 
benefits include direct medical advances, improved non-animal testing 
methods for new medical treatments, and the advancement of knowledge. 
However, we also emphasize the importance of continuing ethical regulation, 
adequate government funding, and transparency of research in the areas of 
embryonic and adult stem cell technologies, to protect donors and the public 
health. 
In HE324, paragraph 2, delete “and nuclear” from the sentence “(particularly in 
areas where heavy, chemical and nuclear industries are located)” and delete 
the comma and insert the word “and” between heavy and chemical so that it 
reads: 
“(particularly in areas where heavy and chemical industries are located),” 
Original TR472: 
TR472 The Green Party would implement an immediate ban on the shipment 
of all nuclear fuel, plutonium and high-level radioactive waste. 
Delete “implement an immediate ban on the shipment of all” 
And replace with: “ensure the safe transport of” 
So that it reads: 
“TR472 The Green Party would ensure the safe transport of nuclear fuel, 
plutonium and high level radioactive waste.” 
Original IP430 
IP430 TNCs currently producing chemicals which damage the ozone layer, 
exporting damaging pesticides which are banned in the country of origin, and 
exporting nuclear technology, should be the subject of immediate restrictions 
by Government. Eventually, it should become illegal to export goods which 
would not satisfy standards required in Britain. 
In IP430 delete “and exporting nuclear technology” so that it reads: 
IP430 TNCs currently producing chemicals which damage the ozone layer, 
exporting damaging pesticides which are banned in the country of origin, 
should be the subject of immediate restrictions by Government. It should 
become illegal to export goods which would not satisfy standards required in 
Britain. 

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