Climate change is real, we need to act now to protect the future, and responsible politicians of all parties must show leadership by facing down the sort of NIMBYism (Not In My Back Yard) that is threatening to derail Reading University's plans for a wind-farm at Rushy Mead near Arborfield.
That's the stark message from Labour's Anneliese Dodds, who is calling on the other candidates for Reading East and Wokingham to back the project, which she welcomed when it was announced back in 2008.
She says: "The ice-caps are melting, the seas are rising, islands like the Maldives may disappear under the waters, crops are threatened, and we are seeing unprecedented floods even in this country. Nobody can seriously doubt that our climate is changing in a way that is a threat to us all. That has got to be addressed and making more use of renewable energy is vital to our future.
And Anneliese adds: "I was very sad to see the NIMBY campaign against the wind-farm at Rushy Mead, and the fears some people are trying to fan. People are often frightened of something new, but this isn't new, it isn't even new to this area. We already have a wind turbine at Green Park and many wind farms across the country are producing the power we all need".
"The planning application for this wind-farm will be considered by Wokingham Council, and sadly the records show that Conservative Councils turn down three-quarters of the applications for wind-turbines that come before them. I hope that Wokingham Council has the courage to face down the campaigners and grant planning permission for a scheme that will generate up to 27 GWh of green energy a year, enough to power 5,800 households.
"I am calling on all the General Election candidates for Reading East and Wokingham to back this project, in order to give Wokingham Council the courage to do what is right for the future."
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