MPs are being urged to vote this week to back a target to slash carbon emissions from the power sector by 2030.
Businesses, environmental organisations, faith groups and trade unions are all calling on MPs to back an amendment to legislation reforming the electricity sector, which would cut average emissions from power generation.
Supporters of the decarbonisation target, proposed for the Energy Bill by Conservative MP Tim Yeo and Labour's Barry Gardiner, say it would send an important signal to investors to back low-carbon infrastructure.
Friends of the Earth suggests about 300 MPs have indicated support for the decarbonisation target, with a coalition of 200 firms from around the country, including West-based Ecotricity, Good Energy, RegenSW and international companies including EDF, writing to the remainder, among them Bristol Lib Dem Stephen Williams, whose party has made the target part of national policy, urging them to vote for a clean power target tomorrow.
RegenSW says the renewables sector employs 10,000 in the South West, with the potential for 34,000 by 2020.
Writing in the Western Daily Press today, the groups from the South West say: "According to the government's own climate change committee, the target could save us £25billion a year and prevent 550 million tonnes of carbon from entering the atmosphere. We want to see our MP help secure our clean energy future and stick to his green credentials."
Julian Jones, co-ordinator for Friends of the Earth in Bristol, said: "We'd like to thank all the MPs who are backing a clean power target that will help tackle climate change and bring new jobs to Bristol, and we urge other local MPs like Stephen Williams, Charlotte Leslie and Jack Leprosti to follow their lead."
In a statement a coalition of 55 groups called on MPs to back the amendment which would "commit the UK to have a near carbon-free power sector by 2030", and to push forward with the Energy Bill which aims to stimulate £110 billion in investment to cut emissions from electricity generation.
The Government has said it was legislating to bring in a decarbonisation target in 2016, but ministers have been warned a delay to the target will see the UK lose out on green investment.
Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said without the amendment the Energy Bill became "a bit aimless".
Labour is backing the amendment, while a 2030 target to slash emissions is Lib Dem policy.
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