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  • My most recent commentaries

    • UK government loses appeal on illegality of DECC’s solar feed-in tariff cuts.

      25 Jan 2012

      Three more judges rule, in the Appeal Court that the government’s proposal to cut tariffs from 12 December was illegal. Business Green: “Jeremy Leggett, chairman of Solarcentury, said the news was a positive outcome for the entire renewable energy industry: “Today we have reminded government that it will be held to account when it acts illegally and tries to push through unlawful policy changes. We would much prefer not to have taken this path but ministers gave us no choice. Our hope now is that we can work together again to restore the thriving jobs-rich solar sector that has been so badly undermined by government actions since October”.”

    • “The carbon bubble will burst – we must be prepared this time”.

      23 Jan 2012

      Business Green: “This is really important. No matter where you stand in the green debate, the threat posed by the systemic over valuation of carbon intensive firms and assets is a critical issue that should concern you – really, really concern you.” …. That is the warning currently being sounded by the recently launched Carbon Tracker Initiative, which last week released its second report on the scale of the so-called “carbon bubble” and wrote to Bank of England Governor Mervyn King urging him to take action. The two reports from the group – which is backed by some high profile green thinkers and investors, including the WWF, Solarcentury chairman Jeremy Leggett, former chief scientist Sir David King, and Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith – should be required reading for political leaders, business leaders, and economists everywhere. If there was any sense of proportion, it would be at the top of the agenda at this week’s annual billionaire schmooze-fest at the World Economic Forum in Davos.”

    • Investors ask BoE to probe risk that fossil-fuel reserves pose “sub-prime” risk.

      19 Jan 2012

      Fossil fuel reserves listed in the City of London are “sub-prime” assets posing a systemic risk to economic stability. So warns a high-profile coalition of investors, politicians and scientists , writing an open letter to Sir Mervyn King asking him to launch an investigation. Signatories include Aviva Investors, Climate Change Capital, Conservative politician Zac Goldsmith and Solarcentury chairman Jeremy Leggett. Abatement policies could mean billions of pounds of fossil fuel reserves will rapidly lose value and cause a “major problem” for institutional investors and pension funds. Guardian: “CarbonTracker’s latest report reveals that coal reserves held by 16 London-listed companies will release 45bn tonnes of CO2 when burned, equivalent to 86 years of annual UK emissions, which are the tenth highest in the world. Most of the coal is in other countries such as Australia and South Africa.”

    • Richard Branson: “the absolute necessity” of investing in renewables.

      5 Jan 2012

      Richard Branson, in posting my latest blog on his website: “Struck by this email from my friend Dr Jeremy Leggett over Christmas highlighting the growing divide between those that believe in the absolute necessity of investing in renewable fuels and those who ignore the obvious need – preferring to focus on short term goals and profits. I believe we must keep investing in alternative fuels to help reduce our Global carbon problem. Those fearing that economic growth will be stifled by investment in renewables are wrong.” etc.

    • High Court rules UK government has acted illegally of solar feed-in tariff target date.

      21 Dec 2011

      My message to BBC Radio’s The World Tonight: let us turn this humiliation for HMG into something positive and get back to where we were: creating jobs the nation needs in these hard times. And to Business Green: “We encourage the Secretary of State to accept the judge’s very clear ruling, to not plunge the industry into a further period of uncertainty by considering going to appeal, and to conduct the remainder of the current consultation process properly with constructive conversations with the industry.”

    • Big 6 pressure on UK government led to UK solar feed-in tariff ambush.

      10 Dec 2011

      My view in the Huffington Post: “There are only two possibilities, given the absence of a credible savings narrative and the seemingly lethal intent of the six week warning and the market-shrivelling energy-efficiency pre-qualification. One is breathtaking collective incompetence. The other is conspiracy.
      The answer is conspiracy. So I have been told in recent weeks by insiders in Whitehall, Westminster, and in the relevant parts of the energy, PR, and financial industries.”

    • Countercurrents: the triple crunch we face and the barriers to renaissance.

      5 Dec 2011

      In an extended interview in India, I talk about the similarities between the credit crunch and the peak oil issue, and the power of renewables and why clean-energy industries are being held back.

    • “A focus on renewables would allow the Government to deliver on some of its cornerstone mantras”.

      30 Nov 2011

      My latest column in Sublime magazine: “The current government in Britain appears to be playing fast and loose with some fantastic renewable energy opportunities – and ones that could provide much-needed jobs. what is that about? If the British Prime Minister were being authentic, he could be leading on an impressive story right now. Those of his core mantras that involve energy, taken together in strategic harness, make for an inspiring vision. Picture the scene. His Big Society concept sees communities taking power for themselves, providing for themselves. In short, Britain could be less centralised, more community-centric, more resilient to economic shocks.”

    • Select Committees hear both sides on UK solar feed-in tariff cuts.

      29 Nov 2011

      Greg Barker to a combined meeting of the Environmental Audit and Energy & Climate Change Committees: delaying UK the cuts to April would be “bonkers”. Jeremy Leggett: “they have launched a lethal attack on the underpinnings of a vital industry.” A fairly full ventilation of the issues.

    • UK solar mass lobby of Parliament: passions running high as job losses loom.

      22 Nov 2011

      Business Green: “Around 25 companies, organisations, and entrepreneurs protested throughout the day, including Jeremy Leggett, founder and Chairman of Solarcentury, Homesun chief executive Daniel Green, and representatives from Keep Britain Tidy and the London Occupation at St Paul’s Cathedral.” 500 take part, with the rest of the solar industry busy rushing to get projects done by 12 December. In a video interview, I speak my mind about the malign role of the Big 6.

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