Having seen the way that the Planning Office was led by the nose regarding unsuitable developments at the old ERI site,expect CO2 output to double.

This policy is based on an approach pioneered by Merton Borough Council in London. For more information see: http://themertonrule.org/

I think the document linked below details the new Edinburgh standard:
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/internet/attachments/internet...

Is any one else perturbed that so much effort is put in to combatting a unproven scientific theory?

Surely whilst climate change is researched to see if it does indeed exist (and if it does what will it take to stop it), we could be putting out efforts into more immediate problems such as homelessness.

I feel that we are wasting money and resources on an unproven threat.

#3 I didn't realise people were still flagging that dead horse. The research has been done. Climate change caused by human activities does exist. To reduce it we need to cut CO2 emissions

Climate change is a natural process, after all that last ice age was only around 18,000 years ago and the world has been warming up since then. All humans may be doing is sppeding up this natural process, is there really a problem with this?

Yes, climate change does occur naturally on long (geological) time scales. Humans certainly are speeding this up hugely. How much of a problem it is depends on how much you worry about famine, floods etc. Life will undoubtedly go on, but not for all.

#4

The whole idea of humans causing climate change is just a big hoax and people are buying it while many scientists and Climatologists such as Timothy Ball
are coming out and saying it is a lie.

"Believe it or not, Global Warming is not due to human contribution of Carbon Dioxide (CO2). This in fact is the greatest deception in the history of science."
Timothy Ball (climatology expert)

It allows governments to increase taxes and employ drastic measures while they pretend that there cause is noble and they are saving the planet.

So the people of the country will go along with the lie because if they don't they are considered as a threat to the welfare of the planet and must be seen to be doing there bit.

i notice theyd waited till their new H.Q. was finished before they came up with this idea. will the new tram lines and all the building work required for them be included under these proposals

#7 Yes, you're absolutely correct. Timothy Ball 'climatology expert' is right, and the 100s of leading scientists (none of whom are climatology experts) contributing to the the IPCC report are wrong. It's all a multi national global conspiracy to make us pay more taxes.

If the whole of the UK were to reduce emmisions by 80% it would not make a blind bit of difference to climate change.The worst polluters are out there and everyone knows (or should know ) who they are.It is sad that such an important issue has been hijacked and used as a stealth tax and blatenly so.Wake up you geens and smell the coffee

#5 Dont think you and i will suffer.

So this code will apply to the Canongate, Caltongate and Fountain North proposals then?

Wonder how the Airport Expansion will get round this one then eh ? Ha ha Ha ha Ha !

The rules will be bent !

#10 In fact, per head of population the UK is one of the worst polluters. But you're right is saying that action by the UK alone can have little impact. However, the only way we can have any moral authority in asking the big countries of the world to reduce their emissions is to be seen to be doing so ourselves.

Moving council offices and building a new office when there are vast amounts of free office space in Edinburgh - how green is that?

Putting on a lawn roof or recycling rain water for flushing toilets does not make a building 'green'.

recycling rainwater, how did they manage to get that one past the building control inspector. oh of course they employ them don't they.

I noticed Canmore Housing has removed 2 wind generators from 2 of their buildings already.

Wonder why?

#2 just another 31 page with no substance in it. It's regulations and the way they'll be interpreted you really need.

#17 Building control?

Oh how commendable, but just you go and try to put a set of plans for an energy efficient environmentally friendly single dwelling to the same committee and see how you get on? Id be interested to know.

Knock down perfectly sound homes that have been standing for around 80 years, a listed building that has stood for 101 and can stand for another 200....put up a another guzzling hotel and conference centre, which of course they want people flying into the city for.....oh and more offices and a needless square, block views..rename a street...I could go on and on...but I think its called hypocrisy, one rule for us and another for you.......

#18 You're right, the proof of the pudding will be in the eating.

The document I linked to looks pretty substantial to me, but then I'm not au fait with the planning process. What makes you think that further regulation will be required?

#8 good point,

might be a decent idea if the usa, india and china were also signing up. until then waste of money and effort.
The rules and red tape we accept from europe and implement whilst our partners don't is one example of why uk plc is failing, a unilateral go at solving the worlds problems will probably be the final straw.

#17 did you ask them?

Homer
They'll be hundreds of thousands of words on that subject out there all saying much the same and paid for by us. You can actually get the Building Control Regs on line at the Executives website. They're a lot more in depth & open to poor interpretation especially in Edinburgh. If you want to know how much of our money is wasted by these people and you have a couple of weeks spare look up the controlled parking zones extensions. Endless reports saying the same thing from allegedly independent authors.

I have nae time tae worry aboot climate change.
The wife is much mair scary.

What about reducing the number of buildings that the Council is allowing to be being built in the city. Each of these new builds will require that we produce more and more energy. How many high density developments have appeared in the past few years? Why have 4 properties when you can have 20. (I could be cynical and suggest that the Council gets 5x more Council tax).

Look around you. The Council is wrecking the city, by allowing developers to build where ever they want to build - including some of our sports fields. The developers don't care. Do you?

#16 Recycling rainwater is recommended under the current Building Regulations.

with the massive loss of green space in edinburgh due to the council selling off most of the land 'held for the common good' they've done nothing to reduce the carbon footprint, but they think its a vote winner ;-).
Unless the US & China stop tommorow it's all a waste of effort, they account for some 35+ % of greenhouse gases, coupled with the increase in methane as the permafrost disappears in siberia & the artic circle. But hey the Govt want to build new runways & increase air traffic, isn't a trip accross the atlantic = 1 years worth of pollution caused by a single car ?

#12 'Unless the US & China stop tommorow it's all a waste of effort, they account for some 35+ % of greenhouse gases'

The point is that if all countries agree to reduce their emissions, then every 1% reduction in the UK translates to a 1% reduction world wide. The US almost certainly will come aboard eventually, and in any case they are much more likely to if they see other countries taking successful measures. I'm no fan of the Government but if they meet their emission targets by increasing aircraft by 100% but reducing
power consumption by 50%, then that still works. It's only the total that counts.

#12 and #10. People like you all have an ulterior motive. By claiming that reducing emissions in the Uk will make no difference because of China, USA etc. you try to salve your consciences and use this as an excuse for your own environmental damage. It's the easy option.

It's by individuals making a stand that the problem has a chance of being solved. And how do we have any moral authority to tell China what to do if our own record is abysmal? Even the US is beginning to change it's stance and that is surely partly to do with the greener concensus being adoted by the rest of the developed world.

It's a great theory that our tiny city can and will have an impact on overall global pollution but sorry folks it will not amount to a sparrows fa*t in the worldwide situation. Just travel to any of the major cities in the poorer continents and you will see what real pollution is. There, it's not global warming we should be worrying about but the actual poisioning of human beings. Try telling these people that they will have to spend more just to stop GW when the majority are already struggling to find enough to eat etc. There will not be too many votes for the green party in these counties

#32. If you believe the majority of pollution comes from the poorer continents, you are simply wrong.

good to see that the mothership is in such safe hands. why are they so intent on raising the bar on important but non urgent agendas when there are such fundamental and pressing socio-economic issues to address?
why don't you sort out social exclusion, education, housing stock and economic competitiveness through joined up public and private sector co-operation and then consider how green is your valley?