|
|
|
|
|
|
European Union set to ban patio heaters UK
Daily Mail Outdoor heaters that keep smokers warm outside pubs and clubs could be banned as part of the battle against climate change, costing the hospitality industry £250million in lost trade. Euro-MPs are expected to back a resolution calling on the European Commission to set a timetable for abolishing goods with low energy-efficiency ratings. The motion being debated in Brussels today specifically names outdoor patio heaters - but a climate change expert says their impact on global warming is "very minimal". Plasma televisions produce more carbon dioxide (CO2) than patio heaters when normal use patterns are compared, insisted Dr Eric Johnson, National Expert Reviewer for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and managing director of Atlantic Consulting.
"The overall impact of outdoor heaters on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions is very minimal, and once you look at the domestic models used in homes, the impact is almost non-existent" he said. "Once comparisons start with well-known offenders such as aeroplanes, outdoor heaters dwarf in comparison. "In actual fact, plasma TVs produce far more CO2 than patio heaters when you compare normal usage patterns for each appliance. "What constitutes a waste of energy is always going to be open to debate but it is important that the public is properly educated about environmental impacts in order to make informed decisions on their everyday activities." The estimated financial impact on the pub and catering industry of a patio heater ban is set out in The Publican Market Report 2007.
|
||||
