Britain launches energy review in face of global warming

The government launched an urgent public consultation on future energy policy on Monday but was accused by green groups of using it to mask a decision already taken in secret to build new nuclear power plants.

Highlighting Britain’s dwindling oil and gas supplies from the North Sea and the need to cut carbon emissions — blamed for global warming — from burning fossil fuels, trade minister Alan Johnson said crucial decisions had to be taken quickly.

“One-third of our electricity generating capacity could go off-line over the next 10 years … so doing nothing is not an option,” he told a news conference.

Over the next 12 weeks officials will tour the country asking the public, industry and lobby groups what sources of energy they think should be used to generate the nation’s electricity for the rest of the century.

Reuters