Osborne’s anti-green agenda splits Coalition
This piece illuminates a Cabinet split over the environment, with the Climate Change Secretary attacking the Chancellorfor threatening to abandon the Government’s green pledges. The disagreement between the Coalition partners is playing out in terms of the relationship between green policies and economic growth – with Chris Huhne, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, reprimanding Mr Osborne for vowing that the UK should not lead Europe in its efforts to cut carbon emissions. It also opens up the Coalition’s ‘greenest government ever’ promise to scrutiny. This week I came across ‘Nature Check’ (http://www.wcl.org.uk/nature-check.asp) – an analysis of the Government’s natural environment commitments compiled by 29 of the UK’s leading environmental groups. Using a traffic light rating system, the report shows that of its 16 commitments to the natural environment the Coalition has achieved a ‘green light’ on only two. Seven commitments received an amber rating, meaning not enough progress has been made, and a further seven have been given the red card. Whilst the Coalition has done well as a champion for the natural environment on the international stage, at home its promise is in danger of being undermined.