Green MEP's solution to coastal decline and climate change - renewable energy and tourism
13 March 2007
GREEN MEP Caroline Lucas today called on the Government to support bothdomestic tourism and marine renewable energy to stem the economic decline ofcoastal towns and help fight climate change.
She made her comments in response to a report on coastal towns released bythe House of Commons select committee on Communities and Local Government,which blamed coastal decline on outward migration of young people due to ashortage of job opportunities.
Dr Lucas, whose South East England constituency includes many coastal townswith pockets of deprivation, said:
"It is time for some joined up government on this issue.
"Britain has the best marine renewable energy potential in Europe, MPs havehighlighted the economic decline of our coastal towns and Tony Blair hascalled climate change a greater threat than terrorism.
"The answer is obvious - stop promoting expansion of the aviation industryand instead encourage and promote domestic tourism whilst at the same timeprovide the correct legislative environment and financial support to createjobs in the marine renewables industry."
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
DCLG committee report on coastal townswww.publications.parliament.uk2.htm
British Wind Energy Association (BWEA): Marine Renewable Energywww.bwea.com
BWEA "Supporting innovation early is the key to developing a globallycompetitive manufacturing industry in renewable energy, as Denmark andGermany have learnt from their experiences of wind energy."www.bwea.com
