Sir David Attenborough Backs Plan To Make Clean Energy Cheaper Than Fossil Fuels

The (UK) Telegraph - Sophie Jamieson

TV naturalist Sir David Attenborough joins scientists and politicians in urging nations to adopt the Global Apollo Programme

Sir David Attenborough has backed the plan to make renewable energy cheaper than coal Photo: Rex

Sir David Attenborough has given his backing to a ten-year project to develop clean energy technology.
The naturalist and TV presenter put his name to a letter arguing for countries to adopt the Global Apollo Programme (GAP) before the UN Climate Change Conference in December.
The programme is designed to make renewable energy cheaper than fossil fuels through public investment in research and development to the tune of $15bn a year globally.
Sir David said making clean energy cheaper than coal, gas or oil would be “enough to halt climate change”.


Science broadcaster Professor Brian Cox, former energy secretary Ed Davey and former FSA chairman Lord Turner are also among the signatories to the letter.
They join scientists, politicians and energy experts in arguing that: “A sensible approach to tackling climate change will not only pay for itself but provide economic benefits to the nations of the world.”
The group compare the scale of investment required to the Apollo space missions of the 1960s, which put a man on the moon.
They argue that a co-ordinated research and development plan would save governments money in the future and would also bring down the cost of bills for consumers.


Sir David said: “Now some of the finest minds must again unite in the face of an even bigger challenge. We need an international programme to discover breakthrough clean technologies.
“Most of the great advances of the last 100 years have come from publicly-funded research: computers, satellites, the internet, smartphones.
“All the electricity we now require is available from limitless sources like wind and solar. The sun delivers 5,000 times more energy to the earth’s surface than humanity needs.

Sir David Attenborough joins fellow TV presenter Professor Brian Cox in signing the letter  Photo: EDDIE MULHOLLAND

"But renewable energy is intermittent. The sun doesn’t always shine. The wind sometimes drops.
“So we must find even better ways of storing the energy and carrying it long distances to where it’s needed.”
The GAP report was written by former Government Chief Scientist Sir David King, former head of the civil service Lord Gus O’Donnell, former FSA chair Lord Adair Turner, former Royal Society president Lord Martin Rees and Lord Richard Layard and Lord Nicholas Stern of the London School of Economics.