Adam Woodhall, Founder and Head Trainer of PeopleProfitPlanet, comments on the new Coalition Government, and its impact on the environment and the climate change agenda.
NEW DAWN?
The dawning of a new government is always an interesting, and some might say, an exciting time. When it is the first coalition government in over 60 years, even more so. For those of us who have environment and climate change high up our priority list it is even more exciting as the Conservative leader, David Cameron coined the phrase “Vote Blue, Go Green” and promised that this would be “the greenest government in our history”. Also the Lib Dems have been known as being the greenest of the major parties for a long time. Whilst it doesn’t have a direct impact on the government the UK also has its first Green MP, Caroline Lucas, who is sure to keep the government on its toes.
GREEN START
So what has happened in the two months since the new government came to power? Everything started out in the right direction. First,the Prime Minister appointed a well known environmentalist Lib Dem, Chris Huhne, as Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. In the last month, Mr Huhne has called on Europe to increase its planned greenhouse gas emissions cuts to 30% by the end of the decade. The PM also signed up central government to reducing its carbon footprint by 10% in 2010, thanks in part to the efforts of the excellent 10:10 campaign.
Furthermore, the government has indicated that it will support the implementation of the last administration’s ‘Carbon Reduction Commitment’ (though they have re-branded it as the CRC Energy Effiency Scheme). Whilst the CRC is not a perfect, it is genuinely a world leading piece of legislation. Look out for future articles on the CRC from PeopleProfitPlanet.
EMPTY HORIZONS
Unfortunately, though this is the extent of the Coalition’s action so far, and there doesn’t appear to be much else on the horizon. In George Osbourne’s emergency budget, there was very little, if any, reference to anything remotely environmental. Additionally, the recent announcement that the much trumpeted ‘Green Investment Bank’ is now no longer going to be launched is a significant disappointment.
HUGE OPPORTUNITIES
It has been left to Tim Yeo, Tory chairman of the Commons energy and climate change select committee to plough a comparatively lone furrow, after he published his book: “Green Gold: the case for raising our game on climate change” on July 19th. In this he argues that there are huge opportunities in the exponentially expanding low carbon economy, and the UK has a fantastic chance to take a lead in this area.
WORLD LEADING
Whilst focusing on this once in a generation economic crisis is understandable, what must be remembered is that the UK and the world is facing potentially the biggest crisis in the history of mankind. Whilst many climate change sceptics would like us to believe differently, the science behind climate change is getting ever more certain: we must take action, and we must take it soon. It is a shame that the new government doesn’t appear to understand the opportunity that is being presented; to not only do the right thing environmentally, but also help UK PLC stay a world leading economic power.
