In my view there is no more important issue facing us at the present time, and it remains at the top of my agenda. Since being re-elected in May 2005 I have tabled an Early Day Motion on climate change and renewable energy. In January of last year I organised a major conference at the House of Commons on climate change, at which the keynote speaker was Professor Sir David King, the Chief Scientific Advisor to the Government.  

One of my main successes during my first two terms in Parliament was bringing in legislation to force the electricity regulator Ofgem to give priority to renewable sources of energy, such as wind, wave and tidal. In 2001 I introduced a Home Energy Conservation Bill to reduce domestic CO2 output, subsequently the government took up the proposals and passed them into law as part of the Sustainable Energy Act 2003. 

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, of which I have been a member since 1997, has produced two reports on renewable energy which have done a great deal to promote interest in wave and tidal energy generation. Commercial prototypes supported by government funding are now being developed and could be making a considerable contribution to Britain’s energy supply within five years. 

I am already committed to support increasing targets to 80% for 2050 and raising the interim 2020 targets to incorporate shipping and international aviation, plus other greenhouse gases besides CO2.

The Government and Gordon Brown in particular have indicated a willingness to act positively on all these points.

Please be assured that I will continue to push for further urgently needed progress on this vital issue in my meetings with the Prime Minister, Environment Secretary and other ministers.

Des Turner MP.