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Mayor: I'll make London eco-capital of the world
Pippa Crerar, City Hall Editor25.11.08
BORIS Johnson relaunched himself as the green Mayor today with a pledge to make London eco-capital of the world.
In a bid to shrug off his reputation as an environmental sceptic, he said the city should lead the way in reducing carbon emissions and capitalising on the new energy economy.
He also set out plans to improve the quality of life for millions of Londoners by offering makeovers for parks and encouraging use of electric vehicles.
Mr Johnson told the Environment Agency conference the financial crisis provided an opportunity for developing green businesses. Industry could develop new technologies and create tens of thousands of jobs as it did so.
The keynote speech marks a change in direction for the Mayor who previously criticised the Kyoto treaty, poured scorn on renewable energy and denounced "eco-moralists" for spouting "mumbo-jumbo".
Isabel Dedring, the Mayor's environmental adviser, said: "We want London to be a more attractive, more civil place to live. We can't neglect people's concerns about their local environment even if they seem small scale. Things such as noise pollution, air quality and access to green spaces matter.
"We also want to take advantage of the economic opportunities that climate change is presenting to us. We think this could create thousands of jobs in London over not a very big period of time."
She is working on plans for 10,000 electric cars with zero-carbon emission- to be rolled out across the capital.
The Mayor plans to offer manufacturers a guarantee that the GLA would buy the cars for its fleet of 3,000 vehicles.
He would also try to persuade London councils, which have some 2,000 vehicles between them, car pools and private company fleets, to sign up.
Mr Johnson also launched his "Help a London Park" scheme under which residents can vote for 10 local spaces to each receive a £400,000 makeover. One large park will receive £2 million.
Other key environmental measures included:
● Setting up pilot schemes covering 10,000 homes each where householders would be paid to recycle with vouchers for supermarkets, DIY stores and newsagents.
● Working with councils to set up a new London-wide "101" number so residents can report fly-tipping, noise pollution, anti-social behaviour and other non-emergency issues.
● Providing up to 25 per cent of London's energy from combined heat and power plants, supplying hospitals and housing estates at low cost. Encouraging the use of wind turbines and solar panels on individual homes, although these can be expensive.
● Bringing in LED traffic lights and street lamps and continuing with plans to get more Londoners out of their cars including his bicycle hire scheme.
● Giving £84million for the London wide waste board to spend on new processing facilities and collection techniques, increasing the demand for recycled material and eventually reducing council tax.
● Offering all public sector buildings - which make up 25 per cent of all commercial buildings in the capital - a retrofitting service to boost energy efficiency.
Reader views (15)
Electric vehicles of all kinds - cleaner fuels of any kind - but a makeover for London's parks? Help!
The central parks are the remnants of real countryside and need to be slightly wild. Imbued with a bit of peace and tranquility as well as some space for sport and entertainment. Whereas a "makeover" sounds a bit too municipal and formal.
More trees, Boris, to provide more oxygen, and cleaner fuels for getting around the capital. That's eco-friendly.
- Peter Seekings-Foster, Mildenhall, Suffolk.
Isabel Dedring, the Mayor's environmental adviser, said: "We want London to be a more attractive, more civil place to live.
It already WAS attractive and civil until you and the other thugs in government decided to trash it.
It was the Capital of the world ... now it's broke, you're trying to put it back together with clown prince Boris?
*laughs*
- Ms R. Young, London
Saw a wonderful clip on you tube that had al gore admitting that he got it badly wrong on global warming. ha has been found out more like.it turns out that 9000 yes nine thousand, PhDs in the usa want to take him to court on serious fraud issues relating to global warming.as the main stream media puppets would not air their views, this was the only way to get it in the public eye.go research the facts.so when you hear public speakers go on about eco issues there is always a hidden agenda.keep smiling!
- Frank, stoke on trent uk
Well thats £84 million that could have funded the Tramlink extension to Crystal Palace and the funding gap on the South London London Line.
The only credential Boris has to being green is the fact he is a NOVICE (NO Views Involving Climate Enrichment!)
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
If he wants to show his green credentials he should start by reinstating the cross river tram scheme and other public transport projects.
- Jon Vanner, Hoxton London
Boris is bad for the environment, he produces a lot of hot air!
- Dylan, London
Guess something has to replace London's City!
- James, Leicester
Mr Johnson please just give us a break. As any white working heterosexual I can tell you we've had a torrid time under Nu-Lying-Labour and we all need a rest from politicians. We just want to live our lives but now we must contend with Mac-Mugabe-Brown the unelected deluded Scotsman that seems to hate the English.
- Mike, London
At what cost Mr Boris? Just humming and harring and going no where as you did as a tory MP.
- Jaberwokie3, Switzerland
Are there not more important things to worry about right now? Given that we are staring down the barrel of a recession and still have the Olympics to pay for, where is Boris planning on finding this £84m from? Stand by for yet another Council Tax hike.
- Mary Sullivan, London
Boris Johnson does not think what is he doing. Scrapping the 25 charge that was not being green to me some of the money would of gone for the extension for the DLR and the cross river tram.
Air pollution is not good place for London as the weather get really hot in the summer time.
- Andy, London
All the good work being done to improve our environment in London will be wrecked if Gordon Brown and his friends at BAA go ahead with the construction of another runway at Heathrow.
- Tony Gleave, London
With reference to the mayor's proposals for the environment, the surest way to make an improvement is to reduce the number of people living in the capital. We can easily do this by getting rid of the estimated 400,000 illegals here. However, Johnson wants to give them an amnesty! How much sense does THAT make?
...A complete contradiction of his purported commitment to being "green".
- Brian Clacey, Croydon
For a Mayor so intent on being seen as 'green' it's confusing to see why he scrapped the proposed £25 charge on gas guzzling cars to drive in Central London. A nice little earner that might have paid for a cross-river tram, or a DLR extension. As per usual with Boris, it's all about the bitesize headlines with total lack of any long term vision needed for London.
- Darren, London
Will Boris be publishing his daily ideas in a book at some stage? only it's getting difficult recall them all and to congratulate him if one actually happens.
- Mike Melbourne, Bedford England
