Nick with local Councillor David Hardman and Paul Curbishley of Taylor's in Acorn Road, one of the first to sign up to the campaign

Nick visited local businesses in Acorn Road in Jesmond today to support the local efforts spearheaded by Transition Jesmond to reduce the use of plastic bags.

The Jesmond scheme uses a rating scale to identify traders which are reducing their plastic bag use. The top level of three leaves (which has been awarded to 12 out of 21 local stores) designates shops which either do not use plastic bags, or charge customers for them.

The scheme was launched on the 13^th July by the Headteacher and pupils of West Jesmond School and has been welcomed by members of the public. Plans are underway to extend the scheme to other parts of Jesmond and later to the whole of Newcastle. Recently, Morpeth has announced that it will become plastic bag free.

Nick said: “Well done Jesmond traders for taking this issue seriously – plastic bags damage the environment. We can all do our bit to find alternatives. The Government should do more to discourage single use carrier bags. They haven’t even carried out an impact assessment on the likely effect of a charge on plastic bags. I strongly support the Greening Jesmond campaign.”

Nick at today’s Earth Hour event in Parliament

Nick Brown lent his support to the WWF’s Earth Hour initiative at an event held in Westminster today. WWF is calling on individuals, businesses, iconic landmarks and local authorities to sign up to switch off their lights for one hour to show they care about people and wildlife threatened by climate change. 

As Minister for the North East Nick has worked hard to shape the regional economy around renewable energy. From plans for clean coal at Lynemouth and electric cars at Nissan to our own wind farm factory on the banks of the Tyne, the North East is setting a lead in initiatives to help combat climate change.

But we need to make changes on an individual level as well. Campaigns like Earth Hour can make a real difference, and safeguard our planet for future generations.

An event this year at Baltic Square to promote the Northern Kites regeneration project

Two years ago Nick Brown visited the Northern Kites project which has re-established the region’s red kite population for the first time in over 200 years. The project winds up this year, and Nick paid tribute to the progress it has made.

Nick said: “The success of Northern Kites has not just been about the birds. It has made a real impact on the surrounding community as well. The project has had direct contact with ten of thousands of people over the past five years, and over 100 of our region’s schools, not to mention all those who have had the chance to see the birds themselves.”

This move has been widely welcomed. In calling for the Marine Bill, the WWF said: “Wildlife will benefit through a more comprehensive understanding of what activities are going on at sea and where protected areas can be established. Renewable energy will benefit through a clear process that provides certainty in the planning process and gives confidence to developers.”

Of particular interest locally is the provision in the Bill for the establishment of a Marine Management Organisation. Nick Brown strongly supported the case for the MMO to come to our region, and in February it was announced that the centre will be based in North Tyneside. The new organisation will bring with it an initial wave of more than 150 high skilled jobs. By bringing together many of the marine functions of the Government within a single body it will create a centre of marine expertise and will improve coordination of information and data.

The Marine Bill allows for the establishment of Marine Conservation Zones, which will safeguard rare species of plants and animals and protect the biodiversity of our seas. This Bill is the first time anywhere in the world that a country’s competing marine demands of wildlife, energy and resources have been brought together into one single strategy. And in the year of the sixtieth anniversary of the National Parks Act, the Bill will continue that legacy of opening our countryside to everyone by providing a long distance route along the coast of England which is open to everyone.

The Marine Bill will ensure that the extraordinary natural environment around the UK is protected for all users of the sea for generations to come.

“I am really inspired by what I have seen this afternoon. I do feel the North- East could become a world leader in the electric vehicle market.

“We should embrace it. There are plans for recharging points right across the region. We could roll it out quickly and there is support and interest from the local authorities.”

Full story in the Northern Echo here.

In welcome news for the North East, Ed Miliband cited Teesside amongst only three other named locations as a suitable site for a new carbon capture and storage cluster. Whilst there was good news for other sites, most notably Northumberland, when he said that he was not ruling out other locations.

This is a great regional opportunity for the North East with studies suggesting that carbon abatement technologies could sustain 50,000 jobs by 2030.

Carbon Capture and storage would trap CO2, transporting it and locking it permanently underground in a place such as the North Sea, thus reducing emissions by 90%. This technology has a significant part to play in helping us achieve our 2020 CO2 reduction targets.

There is currently a competition underway for the first end-to-end demonstration in the world, covering capture, transport and storage. Yesterday’s budget provides funding for up to three more and the government wants them to be a mixture of pre and post-combustion.

This came in addition to the announcement from the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, who in yesterday’s budget provided further support for the offshore wind industry. This was welcomed in Tyneside where there are developed plans for thousands of ‘green’ jobs in the establishment of a new manufacturing centre on the north bank of the River Tyne.

Nick Brown MP said: “This is welcome news. It reaffirms the North East’s position at the heart of leading the drive for green technology and low carbon electricity generation.

“We have a scheme which is well advanced and has the advantage of being next door to the North Sea where the capture and storage would take place.”