· Aims to be Carbon Neutral by 2020
· Create Centre of Excellence for green technologies and jobs
· Introduce Environmental education programme on schools
· Rollout of renewable energy technologies
EcoIsland, the organisation behind the vision to make the Isle of Wight the first truly sustainable region in Britain, yesterday received the backing of the UK Government for its strategy to become self-sufficient and carbon neutral by 2020.
Richard Benyon MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Natural Environment and Fisheries, speaking in a debate in Westminster Hall on the EcoIsland Strategy yesterday gave the Governments unequivocal support for the EcoIsland Vision and the work the Ecoisland Partnership CIC has done in starting to turn that vision into reality.
Challenged by Andrew Turner, MP for the Isle of Wight, on the broader scope of the EcoIsland vision, Richard Benyon MP was asked questions on a range of inter-departmental issues fundamental to the EcoIsland Plan including the Feed-in Tariff, the Renewable Heat Incentive, Training for Jobs in the renewable energy industry, education, Eco-Tourism and long term support for a community taking its destiny back into its own hands.
The Minister spoke in glowing terms of the success the EcoIsland Community had already achieved in terms of its commitment to renewable energy, the brilliant social housing development in Chale in association with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Southern Housing Group, and the inspiration behind the idea of making the Island the first sustainable region in Britain.
He said that he was impressed by the determination of EcoIslanders to make EcoIsland a HUB for Green Business development and also how EcoIsland Businesses have already started embracing new technologies.
He referred to them as an exemplar for sustainable development in Britain and offered the EcoIsland Team the full support of a range of Government departments including DEFRA ( his department ), DECC, the Department for Work and Pensions and responded to the questions put to him by announcing a raft of Government initiatives for the whole of the United Kingdom including:
· £860m for renewable heat incentives to secure 12% of UK’s heat from renewable sources by 2020
· 1,000 Government supported apprenticeships in the renewable energy construction industry
· £560m for sustainable transport solutions in the UK
· DECC’s Carbon Plan with some tough targets for Whitehall so that Government walk the talk
· Government’s intention to promote schemes like the Eco-Island’s local food initiative.
· Government’s Zero Waste plan ( released May 2011 ) which aligns with EcoIsland recycling aims.
· EcoIsland is perfectly aligned with the Managing the Natural Environment report due in 2 weeks time.
· The White Paper on Sustainable soon to be published which encapsulates the vision of a sustainability.
In summary the Minister said the Vision his Honorable friend had brought forward was precisely that which they are seeking to encourage and we hope that the EcoIsland Community will feel encouraged in what they have already done thus far and what they are going to do in the future.
The Island is a microcosm of Mainland Britain and as such it is the perfect place to demonstrate sustainability. EcoIsland represents a community that is challenged with all the issues facing the mainland at the moment but is in a superb position to take the Vision of a sustainable community forward on a grand scale. The EcoIslanders believe that they can live in closer harmony with the earth and that by the introduction of a raft of renewable energies, a clever combination of technologies, growing and distributing local produce and managing their energy needs more carefully, they can achieve Carbon Neutrality before 2020.
The Minister said that there was great synergy with the EcoIsland Strategy and what is going on in Government and he welcomed a meeting with the EcoIsland Team and was looking forward to the roll-out of the Strategy.
Ultimately the EcoIsland Community hopes to become a beacon of sustainability to the rest of Britain with the EcoIsland message carrying even further around the world. With the support of the EcoIsland Community anything is and will be possible. It serves to demonstrate the resilience and adaptability of human spirit and life as we know it when confronted with a tough environmental and economic landscape.
Follow: the EcoIsland story on Twitter @ecoislandhub or www.facebook.com/EcoIsle or www.eco-island.org
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