Countryside Alliance Briefing Note -...
House of Commons
about this blogRead moreThe importance of solar energy to meeting the UK’s energy security needs and fulfilling its commitment to net zero is undeniable. Solar development must continue but it is important to ensure that it is situated in the right places.
The Countryside Alliance is concerned about the trend of situating solar farms on productive agricultural land. This arises for a range of reasons:
A perception has been allowed to develop that agricultural land has become the default option for solar energy infrastructure because it can be cheaper than alternative sites when deployed at scale, not because it is the right social and environmental option.
The Countryside Alliance fully supports net zero carbon emissions for the UK as an environmental and economic policy objective. We are conscious, however, that achieving this aim will require the maintenance of public support, including from the rural population.
Accepting that the drive to net zero involves costs as well as benefits, rural Britain must not be required to bear burdens that are impractical and disproportionate. Other important objectives, principally food security, must not be sacrificed.
House of Commons, Westminster Hall Debate
about this blogRead moreEnergy security and food security are two key issues facing this country and must be tackled...
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