WWF resign from Zero Carbon Homes taskforce

I have long feared that zero carbon home targets would be watered down - see previous post here where I also point out the dangers of absolute targets. Well WWF-UK resigned on Friday from the taskforce tasked with greening British homes - they resigned as a protest over the government's decision to water down its Zero Carbon Homes standard (see more here). WWF accused the government of rendering the taskforce "effectively useless" by making the decision without consultation with stakeholders.

“Since 2007, WWF has been dedicated to working with the Zero Carbon Taskforce on a pioneering piece of housing policy. So it is a shattering blow to find out, without consultation, that the Government has taken a decision to undermine both climate and housing legislation. WWF is left with no choice but to resign from the taskforce as the ‘zero-carbon’ homes policy comes tumbling down.” Colin Butfield, head of campaigns at WWF-UK

"We are absolutely disgusted and outraged by this. It is misleading to call this a zero home definition – it's now no more than low carbon. This is the result of lobbying by housebuilders." Simon McWhirter, from the Great British Refurb campaign, who also sits on the government's 2016 zero carbon taskforce

This is indeed very disappointing news - as the founder and an organiser of Stroud's Eco-Renovation Open Homes I have been fortunate to see many of the possibilities that greening our homes can bring - like benefits to our local economy, tackling climate change and energy security and more. There was much hope with the new legislation that we could final get new homes at a standard they need to be - it is outrageous that we are still building homes that are not fit for the next five years - it really makes one wonder what those decision makers are thinking........have they not seen forecasts re peak oil and climate change?

On a more positive point we are just putting together this years event - no details of houses yet but some new ones and some we've seen before - see more at: www.stroudopenhomes.org.uk/