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Climate Change and SustainableEnergy Bill

Yes, it has. During the general election campaign, and in the course of carrying out my duties as a constituency MP, I have found that one of people’s prime concerns about new development is its impact on the environment. There is a direct relationship between them. The Minister uses the term ““eco-warriors””. Most of us remember that the most famous eco-warrior, Swampy, found himself operating arm in arm with tweedy Conservative ladies in Berkshire and elsewhere in the home counties in resisting development. He was resisting transport developments. Whether we use the dismissive term ““eco-warriors”” or the term that I prefer, ““conscious environmentalists””, we must acknowledge the direct link between concern for our environment and resistance to development. Unless we address that link and ensure that people realise that development can be environmentally conscious, we will continue to stoke resentment towards new development.