Christine Metcalfe
and the Aarhus Convention

She says that the UK Government and the EU have their citizens’ rights under the UN’s Åarhus Convention, and she will appear before the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe to explain why.

Mrs. Metcalfe points out that renewables policies have been designed to deny the public the right to be informed about the alleged benefits in reducing CO2 and the harmful consequences of wind power on health, the environment and the economy. The UK and EU are by-passing ignoring environmental and economic assessments and the legally-binding procedures related to democratic accountability.

For example, Scotland is being covered with thousands of wind turbines without regard for the scientific evidence showing their damaging effect on the local ecology and on people’s health. She adds that Scotland’s renewables strategy – its "Routemap 2020" - is a disingenuous flawed document which was published without consulting the public.

The catalyst for Mrs Metcalfe and the Avich and Kilchrenan Community Council's decision to launch the UN challenge was their experience of the Carraig Gheal wind farm and problems surrounding the access route. This is an area of great beauty and a nesting area for Golden Eagles.

The council discovered the wind farm’s access route was being built through an area close to where the eagles nest. It contacted the Forestry Commission, owner of the land and co-developer, for more information about an alternative route.

The FC would not provide the information and the AKCC was forced to send out Freedom of Information notices. This was when the Council decided to hold the authorities to account.

summarized from 'The Independent', 11 Dec 12

The Royal Academy of Engineering estimates the cost of energy production (pence per Kilowatt hour) as

Gas Fired 2.2
Nuclear 2.3 (including decommissioning)
Coal 2.5 to 3.2
On-shore Wind 5 to 7