UK Government Makes Decision to Put Pollution Standards on Hold

It now seems that the government’s new decision to put pollution standards on hold has raised the possibility of coal plants getting the go ahead. The coalition government is backing off its commitment to a tough new environmental emission standard. This has many environmentalists scared that more dirty coal fired power stations, such as the one in Kingsnorth, will be given the “ok.”

Of course, green groups’ criticism of the government’s commitment to the environment comes just after news last week that nature reserves could be sold off as countryside protection measures. There’s also the fact that the Department of Environment was going to bear the brunt of the budget cuts.

By introducing a environmental performance standard for power companies, it would have restricted greenhouse gas emissions from coal and gas plants. It would have encouraged companies that were wishing to build more efficient technology. However, with the government backing off this for the time being, it is looking like coal power plants could have just been given a boost.

The introduction of the environmental performance standard was personally championed by David Cameron, Nick Clegg and George Osborne. They originally all opposed Kingsnorth. Of course, their environmental performance standard was opposed by energy companies and Tory backbenchers.

The chief executive at one coal plant operating company went on to warn that the UK’s renewable energy technology was too underdeveloped to make the environment performance standard feasible. Greenpeace energy campaigner, Joss Garman, said that David Cameron made the introduction of new rules to stop polluting power stations. This was one of his flagship green polices. However, it now seems that things are changing.