What kind of Jersey – what kind of world – will we leave to our children? I care passionately about the environment, and have championed renewable energy and green initiatives in the States for many years.
As a States Member I have championed renewable energy and green initiatives and taken practical measures to support us becoming a greener and less-polluted island. In a past budget I secured funding to kickstart the Eastern Cycle Network, and introduced a Planning policy to generate contributions to it. The ECN is progressing far more slowly than I would like but the measures are in place to provide for its construction.
A couple of years ago, I provided each Constable with an A0 map of their parish roads and requested that they, and their Roads Committees identify roads in their Parishes suitable for cyclists and pedestrians to take priority, in the hope they would provide safe routes to parish hubs, schools and into St Helier.
I supported free bus travel for under 19 year olds and through-fares on buses in an attempt to encourage bus travel and set the use of public transport habits from a young age.
In 2017 I became very concerned at an announcement by Jersey Electricity Company to instigate a charge on the Commercial renewable energy sector, which had the potential to destroy any independent commercial investment in renewables and could destroy jobs in that industry and fledgling businesses in that area in the island (i.e. installing solar panels/wind turbines).
I lodged and won a Proposition for the Stand-by Charge to be reviewed, for the Jersey Electricity Laws to be up-dated, and for policies to encourage renewable energy initiatives.
My proposition and vote can be found below. Jersey Electricity is 63% owned by the States and ought to be taking the lead in helping us switch to greener energy. A member of Government should certainly sit on its Board alongside its private sector shareholders, representing Islanders’ best and wider interests.
They currently import the majority of our electricity from France which post-Brexit, puts us in a vulnerable position. Renewable Energy is now becoming economically viable. There is significant investment occurring across the world which is creating jobs and has the potential to reduce the cost of energy in the future.
The energy market in Jersey is unregulated and the JEC are the sole supplier of electricity in Jersey and have, complete control of the electricity grid through their main company or a subsidiary. The Electricity (Jersey) Law 1937 historically provided the States of Jersey with the ability to monitor and control the price of electricity in Jersey prior to the listing of the JEC.
As technology advances I would like to see renewables encouraged with the JEC and other providers who are willing to invest into the industry. We must work with our other Channel Islands and France to do what is best to provide clean energy at a competitive prices.
I will support incentives to encourage fuel switches in transport and homes and better insulation installations in buildings. I will not however, support agricultural fields being used for solar panels – these need to be installed on roof tops at every given opportunity. Most people want to do the right thing, but with the cost of living rising sharply help is needed to achieve that.
In Cherbourg, signing a renewable energy knowledge sharing agreement between Senator Le Grande, Normandy and the Channel Islands.
Globally, Jersey needs to continue to do its bit. I’m proud that our Overseas Aid programme is currently protecting and regenerating forests and national parks in Africa and Asia, and helping thousands of the world’s poorest stop using unsustainable timber in dirty cooking stoves. And locally, we must get the cycle network extended as a genuine alternative to getting to work by car in the fuming rush-hour gridlock. This Government is currently pursuing a Roadmap for Climate Change and Carbon Neutrality.
There is much to be done.
