ABSTRACT
As was mentioned at the outset, the Climate Change Programme is not only about producing energy from renewable sources but is also aimed at reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. This latter aspiration has been the more difficult one to implement, globally and certainly within the UK. In a domestic context, the emphasis has been on energy saving through such means as improved insulation of houses and reduced consumption of fossil fuels by making more use, for example, of public transport in place of private cars. The business sector is also encouraged to use less energy, whether by more efficient consumption or through the introduction of cleaner manufacturing processes. The incentive for embracing energy saving has, in recent years, come primarily from a steep rise in the cost of the conventional power resources of electricity, oil and gas. Policy measures and subsidies have been limited, especially in the domestic market where financial support for investing in, for example, roof insulation or double glazing has been offered just to certain sections of society such as the poor and elderly.
