Who is in charge of Britain's energy policy?

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The Guardian

 

CATHERINE MITCHELL

"The battle over how the UK should meet its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 is at its most feverish in the energy sector. Lobbying by energy companies to channel government policy towards serving their best interests is intense.

This would not be a problem if ministers and civil servants wielded their power to base policy on evidence rather than influence, but Britain has moved well past this point. There is genuine uncertainty about who is in control of the overall energy policy and which stakeholder - ie EDF, the French nuclear company or the non-nuclear companies in the "big six" and major energy users - has the most traction with the different ministries, in particular the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc), and the Treasury. Consumer interests are at the bottom of the pile."... Read the full article here.


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