Protestors from across Scotland are converging on Perth on Saturday for the climax of the SNP’s annual conference. Police and organisors are expecting higher numbers than ever before.
As anger about ever-rising energy prices escalates across the UK, Scottish Government wind policy has never been so unpopular or attracted so much criticism from across the political spectrum.
Graham Lang, chair of national anti-wind farm alliance Scotland Against Spin said:
Scottish Government wind policy is an epic disaster – for the people, the environment and the economy of Scotland.
Target-driven and out-of control, the only people this disastrous policy benefits are politicians with super-sized green egos and corporate profiteers.
Alex Salmond must be the last person in Scotland who doesn’t think his wind policy is in urgent need of reform. We now have one of the highest concentrations of consented turbines of any country in the world. Two thirds of the proposed windfarms have not yet been built but already SNH reports that turbines are visible from almost half of the country. Scotland is on track to become a giant wind farm landscape, and the disastrous environmental and economic consequences are becoming clear.
We have a very simple message for the Government: STOP THE SPIN!
Campaigners are calling for an immediate moratorium on new wind farms and a major independent review into the impacts of Scottish wind policy, particularly economic and environmental disbenefits.
Mr Lang added:
The Scottish Government’s obsessional promotion of wind energy has reached a new and dangerous low with its setting aside of Lady Clark’s ruling about the legality of wind farm applications. Instead of going to war with the judiciary over a doomed policy, the Scottish Government should seize the opportunity for an immediate moratorium and a full-scale properly resourced review of wind energy policy.
The protest is being hosted by community and campaign groups from the Borders and south of Scotland. They are hoping to draw attention to the particular plight of some of these areas which have been besieged by wind developers for years. The latest analysis of turbine data shows that there are 426 consented turbines in the Borders, of which 358 affect the County of Berwickshire, with a further 213 live applications, of which 60 relate to Berwickshire (spreadsheet attached).
Borders Groups’ organisor Marion Livingstone said:
The Borders produces more than nine times the amount of electricity from wind turbines than its homes use yet the millions of pounds in subsidies paid to wind farm developers and – which all consumers pay through their electricity bills – have done nothing to alleviate the problem of the 37% of Borders households, and 61% of local pensioners, classed as living in fuel poverty (ie spending at least 10% of their income on heating).
In Scottish Borders Council’s recent household survey, the proliferation of wind farms were the one issue that was constantly cited as being a concern with one out of four people in Berwickshire saying that there are already too many wind farms and that they are ruining the landscape.
Mr Lang added:
Turbines will not stop global warming – in fact on a country-wide analysis they will increase carbon emissions. Turbines will not prevent blackouts – they only generate electricity when the wind blows and incorporating their generation into the grid is unbalancing the whole system. Nor will turbines reduce bills – indeed the more subsidized turbines come on line, the more our electricity bills will rise.
People do not want to stay near giant industrial turbines. They are bad for human and animal health. They trap neighbours in unsalable properties. They kill or displace wild life. They create sterile, alienating landscapes. Tourism suffers.
PROTEST DETAILS:
Protestors will be congregating on the South Inch from 12 noon. The march begins at 1 pm and we expect to be at the Concert Hall by 1.30 pm for a rally and speeches. Some protestors will be lobbying SNP delegates outside before reconvening for a noisy protest to coincide with Alex Salmond’s keynote speech inside the conference at 3pm.
Banner: as attached and created especially for the protest by prize-winning cartoonist Iain Green
Spreadsheet: Wind Development Affecting the Scottish Borders September 2013
MEDIA CONTACTS:
The following are spokespeople for some of the groups coming to the protest and are available for comment/interview. Telephone numbers are not given out online but may be obtained by contacting Linda Holt at SAS
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