A recent report by Friends of the Earth has revealed that 30 million tonnes of CO2 are being emitted unnecessarily every year due to the poor energy efficiency of homes in England and Wales. This is equivalent to the emissions of the entire country of Denmark. The report highlights that upgrading these inefficient homes could eliminate these emissions, but at the current pace, it would take 90 years to upgrade all the insulation.
The UK government currently has energy efficiency standards in place based on Energy Performance Certificates (EPC), with ratings ranging from A to G. Only 45% of homes meet the required standard of EPC C and above, meaning that 55% are emitting needless CO2 due to poor insulation.
Improving the energy efficiency of homes not only helps cut carbon emissions and increase energy security but also reduces energy bills. The UK government aims to have all fuel-poor homes at least at a band C by 2030, but progress has stagnated over the last decade due to policy reversals.
Friends of the Earth and other organizations are calling on the new Labour government to focus on insulating heat-leaking homes to meet climate targets. Various schemes are available to help households improve energy efficiency, funded by taxpayers, energy suppliers, or energy bill levies.
With winter approaching, millions of households, especially pensioners, are at risk of high heating costs and health impacts due to cold homes. It is essential to prioritize a national insulation program to address both climate change and energy affordability issues.
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