Climate Change Debate
Institute of Mechanical Engineers — News release
Woking to host Great Climate Change Debate
Local solutions to Global Challenges: Is Woking the answer?
11 November 2009 For Immediate Release
A major debate on the future of climate change and energy security is taking place in Woking borough on 17 November 2009.
Members of the public are being urged to converge on Woking’s H.G Wells Conference Centre, Church Street East, in Woking and have their say about one of the biggest threats facing mankind today.
The free event is being organised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), one of the world’s leading engineering membership organisations. Local residents will have a chance to air their views and question a leading panel of experts from Woking Borough Council, E.ON UK, the Energy Savings Trust, Green Economics Institute and the Committee on Climate Change.
With just days to go before one of the biggest climate change events takes place, the Copenhagen Climate Conference, the debate will challenge if we are preparing for an uncertain future and examine how we protecting precious resources for the next generation.
Institution President, Keith Millard, who is chairing the debate, says: “Energy security and climate change affect everyone. We must do all we can to keep the planet’s temperature from rising and that means a major overhaul of how we make and use our energy. We must put practical measures into place to keep the lights on.
“Distributed energy systems (DES) are already in place in my home town of Woking and the local council here have really taken the initiative in implementing this in the area. I would like to see this rolled out across the UK but let’s hear what the people of the region have to say about this. Every view is important and we are offering a chance to have a say on something so important it will affect our children and our children’s children.
“We are just days away from the Copenhagen Climate Conference. This is going to be one of the most important events in history. We are the world’s first country to have implemented a Climate Change Act and I believe the UK should lead a campaign to protect our environment. We believe Government should work in partnership with engineers to produce practical solutions such as zero carbon homes. By generating energy locally we can use diverse and renewable sources to best effect and greatly increase our energy efficiency.”
John Thorpe, Group Managing Director Thameswey Ltd, which is the wholly owned energy efficiency services subsidiary of Woking Borough Council, added: “The Borough of Woking is pleased to host the forthcoming IMechE conference, ahead of Copenhagen. While the international efforts against climate change continue, it is also vitally important that, if we are to limit the damaging effects of climate change, the mitigation and adaptation work of local authorities such as Woking continues at the community level.”
DES is a collection of energy sources, energy storage and distribution networks linked to local demand. They may contain a fossil fuel element such as a gas-fired combined heat and power plant but should primarily be based on local sustainable sources such as waste, geo-thermal, wind, biomass – or for those by the coast, wave and tidal power.
IMechE is a campaigning organisation made up of professional engineers. We propose that the UK primary energy supply is reduced by 48% by 2050 (compared to 2006) with the remainder moving to zero or low carbon sources.
NB: The UK Government has set national targets to reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by 80%, relative to 1990 levels, by 2050.
To achieve this target, we will need to fundamentally change the way we live with every community and every person needing to play their part.
Anyone interested in attending the debate or wishing to submit a question, should contact Amy Fitzgerald at IMechE on + 44 (0) 20 7973 1291 or email a_fitzgerald@imeche.org. The event will take place from 6pm to 8.30pm.
• The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) was established in 1847 and has some of the world’s greatest engineers in its history books. It currently has around 80,000 members in 120 countries representing mechanical engineers involved in a diversity of fields such as the automotive, rail, aerospace, medical, power and construction industries to name a few. Visit www.imeche.org for more information.
