13th November 2005

PM must address energy security in Lord Mayor's speech

STEPHEN TWIGG, Director of the Foreign Policy Centre today said:

"The Prime Minister, Tony Blair must address one of the most pressing concerns in foreign policy – Britain's energy security when he makes his annual speech to the Lord Mayor's banquet tomorrow.

"At a time of high oil prices, with massive demand on our dwindling supplies from rising powers such as India and China, the world's energy security is one of the most pressing challenges for collective foreign policy. Britain is increasingly reliant on oil and gas resources which are primarily sourced from areas of the world which are politically unstable and from regimes which do not respect human rights or international law."

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11th November 2005

Britain's Nuclear Future: Is Mox part of the Mix?

Venue: Committee Room 16, House of Commons

Time and Date: Tuesday 15 November from 17.00 to 18.00

With the government weighing up whether to commission a new generation of nuclear power stations with its commitments to energy security and reducing carbon dioxide emissions, the FPC event Britain's Nuclear Future: Is Mox part of the Mix? will provide an opportunity to hear from different political perspectives about the future of Britain's nuclear industry. This debate will seek to answer the question: 'Is nuclear power part of Britain's secure and sustainable energy future?'

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14 October 2005

Scottish Executive should implement energy wardens

STEPHEN TWIGG, Director of the Foreign Policy Centre, today said:

"I have written today to the First Minister, Jack McConnell MSP and the Environment Minister Ross Finnie MSP to urge them to consider the Foreign Policy Centre's proposals on the UK's Energy Security. At a time when oil prices are inflated and the UK is reliant on oil and gas supplies from regions which are politically unstable, renewable energy must play a greater part in a diverse energy mix.

"One of our key recommendations to the government and business community is to have 'energy wardens' to help improve efficiency at home and in the workplace."

Download Scottish Executive energy wardens (20 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)

4 October 2005

"Blair must use talks with Russia to bring about real progress on climate change" – Twigg

STEPHEN TWIGG, Director of the Foreign Policy Centre, today said:

"At Gleneagles, G8 leaders agreed to act with resolve and urgency on global warming, but much more progress can and should be made. The bilateral talks between Tony Blair and President Putin are a real opportunity to widen Moscow's focus beyond security of energy supplies to the truly global issue of climate change."

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12 September 2005

'Britain must urgently re-think its energy policy in the face of global risks' - Twigg

Speaking ahead of the launch of the Foreign Policy Centre's new pamphlet on Britain's Energy Future, Director Stephen Twigg said: 'The UK government has made the case for a rapid shift to renewable energy sources from a number of perspectives: national security, economic prosperity and the protection of the global environment – yet its targets for renewables are amongst the lowest in Europe.

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New FPC reports challenge conventional wisdom on China's energy demand and global economic impact.

The domestic regulation of China's energy use is the issue of greatest significance for global energy markets; and analysts have underestimated China's impact on the global economic system, two incisive new reports from the Foreign Policy Centre (FPC)

argue.

Download the press release (60 kilobyte PDF; need help viewing PDFs?)