DATE: Thursday 9 September 2010

TIME: 7.30pm - 9.30pm

VENUE: Harcourt Arms, 32 Harcourt Street W1H 4HX

MOTION: This House would make energy independence the UK's top priority

Background:

In the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the race to find new reserves through the controversial deep sea drilling technique is well under way as nations, including Britain, seek to meet their growing demand for energy without increasing their dependence on foreign resources.

Meanwhile, one of the most comprehensive assessments ever conducted of global temperatures by the Met Office has been cited as the greatest evidence yet of global warming.

How urgent is energy independence, at a time when western economies remain frail as they begin to emerge from the recession? Is now the time to embrace alternative energy and, if so, which alternatives?

You decide.

Join the debate:

There will be four speakers in this debate, each of whom will have five minutes to make their case. After that there will be an extensive Q&A session to allow the audience plenty of time to have their own say from the floor. The motion will then be put to a vote.

There's always plenty of time to grab a drink and get settled before the event starts and we always stick around for a few more once it's over as inevitably that is always when the real debating begins.

If you have any questions or need any more information, do not hesitate to email me at central.debating@gmail.com

Getting there:

If you would like to watch this debate, then simply come along on the night. You will find us in the upstairs dining room of the Harcourt Arms pub at 32, Harcourt Street W1H 4HX (a max 1o min walk from Baker St tube). For directions, see this map.

Admission:

Admission is, as ever, totally free of charge. All are welcome, so if you know anyone who might be interested in this debate, do feel free to bring them along.

Further reading:

Oil (The Guardian)

Oil company proifts (Wall Street Journal)

Land development (National Grid)

Fossil fuels and nuclear power (Greenpeace)

Climate change (BBC Weather)

Takeover bid for North Sea oil explorer (The Guardian)

Scheme to pull 'electricity from the air' (BBC)

Wind turbines for Swindon's Honda plant (BBC)

Dirty energy - Canadian crude (The Economist)

Joining the Central London Debating Society:

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Best wishes
CLDS