The Isle of Man is 'quite lot behind' when it comes to its green policies, according to a clean tech advocate.
Imogen Bhogal - who also presents the Fully Charged Show and Everything Electric Show - has been hosting an event on the Island to find out where we're up to with our net zero targets.
Government has set itself the challenge of reaching it by 2050.
Imogen has been speaking to Amy Griffiths:
Hi there, I'm Amy Griffiths, and I'm one of the journalists in Manx Radio's Newsroom, and you're listening to Newscast. My name's Imogen Bogel, I'm a presenter and producer on the Philly Child Show and Everything Electric shows, which are YouTube channels dedicated to clean energy technologies and electric vehicles. So I come here to support with an event that's called the Energy Future Isle of Man event, and also to see the launch of a really exciting app called the Island Power App, IPA for short, to be confused with a bit, and that's a really cool app, which allows people to see different sort of energy scenarios, different combinations of technology, and how might the Island Man deliver its net zero targets? And I think that's one of the challenges when it comes to trying to reduce your own carbon emissions and reduce your carbon footprint, is that sometimes it's that, one, not knowing where to start, and two, thinking, well, what is me putting my tins in the recycling going to do in the grand scheme of things? How much of a difference is that actually going to make? So, how is that app going to help with that? Ooh, that's a really good question. I think when it comes to things, you're absolutely right. When you see really extreme weather events, or perhaps results of elections that may not be such a climate-focused leadership, shall we say, we can be really sort of disheartening to think, what does my recycling, what does my individual action actually contribute to this landscape? But things like this app, they help to make energy that much more tangible, to be able to connect what's being generated, how it's being generated, to how then you're using it within your home. And let's say that you end up having solar panels, or a battery within your home, and then you can start to create different energy scenarios in which you could have really, really low cost energy bills, suddenly you're not just seeing the impact that you could have for the planet, but actually the other benefits of having a more efficient home, having a home that's cheaper to run, and all those sorts of things as well. So I suppose it's a way to kind of make energy something that's more concretely understood for more people. I suppose it is that side of things as well, that it's the added perks that come with the energy saving, because unfortunately people are inherently selfish, and unless they can see tangible reasons to do something, and it makes a tangible difference to their life, it's difficult to try and encourage people to think differently about how they are living isn't it? And I think that's the thing, any change is kind of scary for anyone, because the easiest thing is always to continue with what you're currently doing. So if a change is required, I think there's a little bit of it that maybe is selfishly motivated, but it's also just very human to, if you're asking someone to change something, it's got to be changed for a better solution, or an easier solution, or a lower cost solution, and then it also can have those other benefits as well, that it's better for the planet. And I think we have to be really empathetic about that as a society, that if we're asking people to change, how might we make it easier for people to do so? How much do you know about the situation on the Isle of Man here? Obviously we have a target for net zero by 2050, and I know there's a couple of interim targets in the meantime until then as well, but how much do you know about the situation here? So I have to confess I am from Oxford in the UK, and in coming here I have done a little bit of research to see what the situation here is like on the Isle of Man. And the Isle of Man is a little bit behind, or quite a lot behind, some of the other island nations. And I can see why that might be because there is a huge amount of capital expenditure that's required to put in some of these low carbon technologies, like onshore offshore wind, for example. But I think the fact that all of these other examples of island nations who have done huge amounts to lower their energy consumption, to be less polluting, et cetera, the fact that that example exists, it sort of should help the Isle of Man on its way to getting to that net zero future. And there are schemes currently in the pros in motion at the moment, so there are plans being consulted on for an onshore wind farm and an offshore wind farm here on the island. So they, which have proven to be quite divisive as well, so I suppose, how is the best way to try and get people to see the positives of these kind of projects? Well, we were having that discussion yesterday, and I think, you know, say you were just to put a wind turbine up without consulting anybody, of course, that's going to get people's backs up. It feels like a change that's been imposing them without having that consultation. But I think the more that you can welcome people in to join that discussion, to say, this is what we're hoping to do. What do you think about it? What are your concerns? How can we address those? How might you financially benefit from having a wind turbine on your doorstep, for example? Then I think it can become a much easier conversation. So I know it's a really boring answer, but I think it always comes down to how people can be engaged, informed, and be part of that process and journey. So in terms of individuals looking at their own carbon footprint, what are some of the easiest things that people can do to improve how green they are? Well, I think step one comes with understanding how much are you using in the first place. So instead of doing these huge radical changes as the first step, look at, well, what do I currently do? And are there any other bits in that that I should maybe stop doing? Could I replace one of my car journeys with walking, for example, making those really, really easy steps when you understand what you're currently doing? And then I think the second component is, well, how can I make that energy use that I'm using that much more efficient? For example, do I have draft stoppers, or do I have light efficient or energy efficient light bulbs, or have I insulated my lot of those kinds of things? And actually those small low-tech options can have a really, really huge impact. And then it's almost like you've sort of tidied things off at that point. And then I think you can start to look at other sort of slightly bigger changes, for example, solar panels or home energy storage, for example. And then there's lots of support that can exist to facilitate in the adoption of those technologies at that point. And do you feel like the island, given its size and its location, we're actually in a prime position to be able to be setting an example of how we could be living more sustainably? Oh, absolutely. And I think, obviously, there's a huge resource here in terms of land that's available for onshore wind, land that's available for offshore wind, and then, of course, start from mentioning that with solar and storage, as well. And I think the same is true of actually anywhere. Everywhere has a very unique geography and weather, and it's all about finding the unique mix that works that community, and I think the island man is absolutely no exception to that. Thank you for making it to the end of the Manx Radio newscast. You are obviously someone with exquisite taste. May I politely suggest you might want to subscribe to this and a wide range of Manx Radio podcasts at your favourite podcast provider, so our best bits will magically appear on your smartphone. Thank you. [Music] (gentle music)
