The abolition of DECC and its merger into a new department for business, energy and industrial strategy can be an opportunity for the low-carbon transition in the UK, two experts said.
The merger represents an industrial, economic and technological opportunity for the UK, according to Conservative MP and Energy and Climate Change Select Committee member James Heappey.
“There are understandable concerns about the abolition of DECC and its merger into a new department, and I hope that energy won’t be an afterthought in BEIS,” he said at an Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit event today.
“But in reality I think that there is a recognition across government now that we have a massive opportunity with the low-carbon transition,” he said.
“Renewable energy is a huge opportunity for the government, and energy storage and demand-side response are key to really unlocking their potential,” Heappey said.
UK Energy Research Centre director Jim Watson, speaking at the same event, said that energy and climate change policy may now become more firmly integrated with wider industrial strategy.
“The merger of DECC with the Department of Business has divided opinion,” he said. “Some people see opportunities to integrate energy and climate policy more firmly with wider industrial strategy, while others are concerned over an apparent downgrading of climate change as a policy priority.”
“Time will tell which view is correct, but three points are worth noting. Firstly, the merger does not mean that the clock is being turned back to the days when government neither viewed energy as a priority, nor when energy and climate issues were split across different departments.””Secondly, the low-carbon transition in the UK, as mandated by the Climate Change Act, is now well under way. And thirdly, the new ministerial team at BEIS have long-term knowledge and experience of why this transition is important.
New Prime Minister Theresa May announced the closing down of DECC last week.
Image: DECC offices (DECC)
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By EBS