James Lovelock attacks climate change minister's 'preaching' on wind power

Gaia theorist says Ed Miliband's moral stance on wind turbine opposition is erosion of freedom and close to fascism
James Randerson, guardian.co.uk 29 Mar 09;

The scientist and veteran environmental campaigner James Lovelock has launched a blistering riposte to the UK climate change minister's suggestion that opposing wind farms should become as socially unacceptable as failing to wear a seatbelt.

In a piece entitled fascism in the wind, Lovelock described Ed Miliband's pronouncement as "hectoring" and an attempt to use "the social rejection of political correctness" to remove democratic rights from those who oppose wind turbines.

Speaking at a screening in London of the climate change documentary The Age of Stupid last week, Miliband said that government needed to be more robust in its efforts to face down local opposition to windfarms.

He said: "The government needs to be saying, 'It is socially unacceptable to be against wind turbines in your area - like not wearing your seatbelt or driving past a zebra crossing'."

In an online comment piece for the Guardian, Lovelock - who best known for inventing the Gaia concept of the planet as a self-sustaining system - denounced Miliband's appeal to social conscience. "It seems that we are now subject to a campaign that uses social rejection as a force to make us accept industrial-scale wind energy stations across the UK, to call them wind farms is disingenuous," he wrote. "As part of this campaign, the great and the good are now hectoring on the moral need to embrace wind energy."

Lovelock said he was afraid that any move to smooth the passage of wind farms with the introduction of new planning laws would remove the right of local people to object. "The right to have public hearings over energy sources is threatened by legislation soon due. Although well-intentioned it is an erosion of our freedom and draws near to what I see as fascism," he said.

He added that his argument did not stem from "nimbyism".

"If wind energy were the one practical and affordable answer to global heating then I would grit my teeth at the loss of the countryside and accept it."

Lovelock sees nuclear power as a solution to reducing carbon emissions criticises the whole concept of renewable power. "There is no such thing as renewable energy; it belongs as an idea with perpetual motion and other delusions but politicians and ideologues have become skilled at using enticing words to cover essentially rotten ideas."

Using the example of large-scale investment in wind power in Germany, Lovelock argued that because the wind does not blow continuously, turbines are only 17% efficient. He argues this means that national grids must have back-up power from fossil fuel powered stations.

A spokesperson for the British Wind Energy Association described Lovelock as a "scientific giant" but described the efficiency debate as "absolute nonsense". He said including wind energy in a national grid does displace fossil fuel power, but the grid must be flexible to cope with changing wind speeds.

"The key challenge is decarbonising the UK's power supplies - to burn less fossil fuels. This is where wind can do a good job," said the spokesperson. "No one is saying here that by any stretch of the imagination that wind energy will provide 100% of the UK's energy."

He cited the example of gales over Spain in early March which allowed the country to produce more than 40% of its energy needs from wind. He also challenged Lovelock's 17% figures saying that onshore wind turbines are on average 30% efficient in the UK, while offshore turbines are 42% efficient. "The fuel is free, its sustainable and it doesn't pollute - what's not to like?" he added.

Lovelock also returned to a familiar theme that the planet will survive the climate crisis, but not necessarily humans. "It is false pride and hubris to think that we can do anything to 'save the planet'...It is time we fully and deeply understood that our Earth can and always has saved itself although not necessarily for our benefit."

"Let us be proud to be nimbys, our backyard is the countryside and that is the face of Gaia," he added.