"Next week, I’ll be in Egypt for the annual Climate Change conference in my new role as cabinet minister for the environment. I was last in Sharm el Sheikh four years ago for the Global Conference for Nature, formally known as the Convention for Biodiversity. I will be at the CBD again this month in Montreal as the world tries to agree new environmental targets. Meeting usually only every 4 years this meeting is critical for protecting nature and as it’s the target setting meeting, is even more important this year than COP27.
When it comes to tackling climate change, there is often a tension between providing cleaner energy and protecting our precious landscapes. Cleaner energy with an even stronger need for energy independence underpins the acceleration of wind farms and nuclear energy. Government policy including the subsequent review of the National Policy Statements for Energy set out that a more coordinated approach to the delivery of onshore electricity transmission infrastructure is required. However, whilst integrating multiple projects is undoubtedly the right thing to do, rather than having separate connections, it is essential our countryside and communities are protected by placing the infrastructure in the appropriate location.
As offshore wind also requires significant onshore infrastructure, I have been continuing to press the case that onshore connections should be placed on brownfield land, specifically Bradwell in Essex where there are already energy connections to the main grid which simply need to be upgraded. We have had some success on that recently, as National Grid is now investigating the Isle of Grain in Kent as a possible connection for the Nautilus project instead of here on the Suffolk coast. However, consultations for Eurolink and Sealink are now live, which propose landfall sites, associated cable corridors and converter stations here in east Suffolk. I will be considering the consultations carefully and will publish my responses shortly on my website. Readers should be aware though that with the Ministerial code, I can only directly act as an MP on these matters rather than as Secretary of State.
Finally, congratulations to Britten Pears Arts and the HighTide Festival for securing a combined total of £4.9 million of Arts Council funding over the next three years. Enabling them to continue bringing culture and creative opportunities to thousands of East Suffolk residents, as well as the support for Eastern Angles, Dance East and the New Wolsey theatre."