9 things I'd do if I were in government right now

  • Remember that reducing use is easier and more effective than increasing supply to meet ‘demand’.

    • Invest in research (especially algae and solar).

    • Invest in infrastructure, especially electricity grid, rail, and electric car stations.

    • Do not build more roads. We have plenty, and cars are getting smaller anyway.

    • Remove VAT from renovation works. Add VAT to new-builds.

    • Force higher feed-in tariffs. I don’t mind much if it makes a bubble, it gets us off oil.

    • Tax aviation fuel at the same rate as locomotive fuel, or higher.

    • Tax red diesel as a first step on reducing oil use in agriculture, and getting us used to higher food prices (and therefore growing more of our own).

    • Cancel all nuclear. It’s an unaccountably high risk to take when we’re moving into a very uncertain future.