The Liberal Vannin Party chairman is calling on the Manx government to rule out moving to nuclear power in a bid to go carbon neutral.

A document provided to attendees of the Citizens’ Forum - a talking shop for environmental issues - suggests nuclear power could replace fossil fuels and that cold residents should put an extra jumper on.

Meeting on Tuesday, the Citizens’ Forum was meeting to discuss ’the built space’ and was focussing on ’changes that are needed’ to the use of heating, hot water and electricity in the home to help the island reach its net-zero greenhouse emissions.

Currently the island’s electricity is generated by burning gas at Pulrose power station or through the UK interconnector.

As a last resort, diesel generators are also still available.

While the move to green energy was the main topic for the forum, two suggestions on nuclear power and residents putting an extra jumper on drew the ire of the Liberal Vannin chairman Michael Josem.

The document said: ’People can make changes to the way they live in their homes, including turning lights and appliances off.

’They can also reduce the temperature that their home is heated at and perhaps wear an extra jumper instead.

’Electricity should be produced through zero-carbon means (renewable energy or nuclear power as seen in the UK) not through burning coal, oil and gas.

’Some households may be able to generate their own renewable electricity, using solar panels, for example.’

However Mr Josem said the suggestion of the island using nuclear power is ’absurd’ and called on the Manx government to ’immediately rule out UK-style nuclear power on the Isle of Man’.

He added: ’We need realistic solutions to protect our environment, solutions that uphold the principles of a fair transition, which means supporting people who will be most impacted by proposals to tackle climate change.

’Given this principle is at the heart of the government’s proposed climate change bill it is insensitive at best for the government to suggest Manx people already struggling with fuel poverty to merely wear an extra jumper.

’If this poorly considered document is indicative of the way government is driving discussions in its Citizens’ Forum they need an immediate change of approach.’

However, Ralph Peake MHK, who chairs the Forum, has told the Manx Independent the document was drafted because of a presentation being given by people who had gone green in their own home.

He explained they had suggested that by keeping their home at a lower temperature and choosing to wear and extra jumper, they were able to cut their carbon footprint.

It was not intended as government advice.

Mr Peake added: ’We are connected by the interconnector to the UK and this allows the MEA to sell electricity to the UK and to buy it in as well.

’Because part of the UK’s electricity is created through nuclear power then it is inevitable that some Manx electricity is being created through nuclear power stations.’