Greenpeace response to Miliband’s energy efficiency announcement

Responding to news reports that Ed Miliband will announce plans to increase the energy efficiency standards of all rented homes to a minimum of EPC C by 2030, during a speech at the Labour Party conference this afternoon, Greenpeace UK’s head of politics, Ami McCarthy, said:

“When it comes to insulation, renters have been left out in the cold and landlords let off the hook for far too long. So, we wholeheartedly support this proposed move to ensure the homes of those living in private and social housing are properly insulated, warm and cheaper to heat, which will also lower planet-heating emissions and make Britain more energy secure. This must come with measures to ensure costs are not passed on to renters.

“With 19 million homes rated EPC D or under in the UK, however, the government still has a long way to go to ensure that all poorly insulated homes are fit for purpose. Introducing a national renewal tax on the bloated wealth of the super-rich would be a fair way to raise the revenue required to fund these measures and bring people’s energy bills down for good.”