Mayor Steve Bullock, speaking at a conference last week, said that we were living through a period of collective denial about global warming and the borough needed to look at more ways of producing electricity from renewable resources.

He said: "Some energy is already produced locally through the use of photo voltaic cells and solar heating, among other things, and I believe it is time to look again at whether we can find a site for a wind turbine.

"This was examined a few years ago and, while at the time it would not have been cost effective, the technology has moved on.

"And before the 'not in my back yard' lot get going I have been to see one working. It is amazingly quiet and produces enough power for thousands of homes.

"Personally, I also think that far from being intrusive, it has an aesthetic appeal and the inclusion of a viewing platform just adds to the fun."

He also says countries which signed the Kyoto agreement on limiting pollution should tax imports from non-signatories in order to eliminate the unfair advantage they have by continuing to pollute.

He added: "In the unlikely event George Bush wanted to come to Lewisham I would welcome the opportunity to explain why his failure to sign the Kyoto agreement is so damaging to everybody on the planet.