Thanks to Graham Allen, MP for Nottingham North, for supporting the energybillrevolution campaign to eradicate fuel poverty by investing in energy efficiency. Unfortunately, none of the other MPs in Greater Nottingham have yet supported this campaign – though in North Notts John Mann (Bassetlaw) and Alan Meale (Mansfield) are also supporting it.

The campaign is asking for carbon taxes – estimated at £4bn p.a. over the next 15 years – to be spent on energy efficiency measures in fuel poor households. This could create 200,000 jobs as well as bringing 9 out of 10 homes out of fuel poverty. Further details at www.energybillrevolution.org/whats-the-campaign/

Why no carbon target in the Energy Bill?

The Energy Bill is currently going through Parliament. It should be considered on the floor of the House of Commons in spring 2013. Friends of the Earth's main aim is to get a carbon target for 2030 written into the Bill.

Please email your MP to ask them to vote for a carbon target. You can do this via Friends of the Earth's national website. Or, better, send your own message – you can do this via www.theyworkforyou.com

It is likely that Tim Yeo (Conservative Chair of the Commons Energy and Climate Change Committee) will put down an amendment to include a carbon target in line with a recommendation of the Committee on Climate Change (for electricity generation, 50g CO2 per kWh by 2030 compared to nearly 500g now).

For more information about the Energy Bill you can download an Energy Bill Update Briefing supported by FOE, WWF, RSPB, Greenpeace and the Association for Conservation of Energy.

Friends of the Earth has also commissioned a longer briefing by Dr David Toke of Birmingham University. This explains why the government’s proposed 'Contracts for Difference' system will favour the big producers of electricity. And it will seriously disadvantage smaller producers, particularly community renewables. A brief summary is on the national Friends of the Earth website.