A group of campaigners have launched a petition to urge the Government to prioritise green investment in Cumbria.
Green Future for Cumbria, a group of individuals from across the county and including several members from Sustainable Keswick and Extinction Rebellion North Lakes, also want to meet with county MPs Josh MacAlister and Markus Campbell-Savours.
Its petition, addressed to Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, calls for the Government to invest significant GB Energy funds in Cumbria to:
- Finance a massive and rapid scheme of home insulation to reduce home energy use – and thus bills – so that families are not forced to choose between ‘heating or eating.’
- Approve the creation of a large solar farm at Dean Moor; and help finance the Project Collette plan to build a large off-shore windfarm off the coast of west Cumbria – and also provide funds which will allow the windfarm to be part community-owned.
- Upgrade the Cumbrian Coast Line; fund a general expansion of cheap public transport; and ensure that both Workington and Whitehaven ports are made ready to play a key role in off-shore renewables.
It asks for immediate steps to be taken to enable a rapid transition to clean and cheap energy, create thousands of good local jobs that would come with that transition and invest in training programmes that will equip local workers with the skills needed to grow those green sectors of the economy.
The petition added: “The climate clock is ticking ever faster – and, with Cumbria being recognised as one of the UK’s ‘left-behind’ communities, the Government could improve the lives of thousands of families whilst also acting to meet its national climate targets.”
