Britain has witnessed the dramatic slide of environmentalism down the political agenda. As he prepares to travel to South Africa today the green credentials of Mr Huhne's own government are being questioned at home. The Prime Minister's decision to cut funding for household solar energy has sparked a revolt of business leaders, councils, environment campaigners and unions. His aide Steve Hilton, who suggested the husky trip, has told officials he is "not sure" he believes the climate-change theory. Mr Hilton has become a big fan of the former chancellor Nigel Lawson, one of the most persuasive and vocal critics of the global warming lobby. The two have discussed the issue. Environmentalists fear there is now a lack of political momentum behind the green agenda. --
Brian Brady and Matt Chorely, The Independent on Sunday, 4 December 2011
The fact that Osborne has chosen this moment to reveal his climate-sceptic colours is also intriguing. In Durban, delegates from across the globe have gathered in a bid to revitalise international agreements to curb carbon emissions and global warming. Those who looked to Britain for a lead will have noted the signals sent out by our chancellor: there is no rush and we have other priorities. Like Canada, the US and several other developed nations, Britain appears to be happy to sit back and watch as hopes of reaching a binding international deal to cut carbon emissions fade away. Britain, until recently, has escaped the worst of these anti-intellectual excesses. There are signs that this state of affairs may not last, however. Climate sceptic groups, in particular Lord Lawson's Global Warming Policy Foundation, are increasingly influencing the media. We should be under no illusions about the impact of climate change. A true global meltdown awaits us. --Editorial,
The Observer, 4 December 2011
The UK has spent more than £600 million on securing an international agreement on climate change and promoting green technologies in developing countries since April 2006, according to Government spending reports. The figures do not include spending by the Foreign Office, which has an entire department dedicated to climate change, nor the amount given in aid to foreign countries for climate change projects by the Department for International Development. Dr Benny Peiser, director of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, which is [agnostic about] man-made climate change, said: "Britain has taken the lead on trying to get other countries to take climate change seriously. Large sums of money appear to have been spent trying to get reluctant nations to sign up to its agenda, but it has ultimately led to nothing." --Richard Gray,
The Sunday Telegraph, 4 December 2011
Chris Huhne has called for Britain to lead the world in cutting carbon emissions, setting himself on a collision course with George Osborne, the Chancellor. The Lib Dem minister, who is responsible for climate change, will arrive at UN talks in Durban, South Africa, today to lead the charge for an international deal to stop global temperatures rising above 35.6F (2C). If the talks fail, it will be embarrassing for Mr Huhne, who has led the way on Britain’s efforts as part of the European Union to get a climate deal by 2015 at the latest. -- Louise Gray,
The Daily Telegraph, 5 December 2011
The government's Green Investment Bank (GIB) has had its actions so limited that it will not be able to support the coalition's much-vaunted Green Deal to refurbish millions of homes to save energy. At worst, some people close to the talks fear the government could fail to get state aid approval from the European commission to provide funding for the bank because it will be seen as too close to ministers. There is also concern about the increasingly "negative" language, including a downgrading of the funds being offered by the Treasury from £3bn to "up to £3bn". -- Juliette Jowit,
The Guardian, 4 December 2011
The Government is under increasing pressure to abandon green energy targets amid warnings that fuel surcharges will put the lives of the most vulnerable at risk as they struggle to pay bills. One in four households will struggle to keep warm this winter because of costlier gas and electricity and the impact of green taxes, figures out today show. --John Stevens,
Daily Mail, 2 December 2011
ALL petrol and diesel vehicles will be removed from the roads as part of a controversial “green revolution” being drawn up by the Government, it was revealed last night. Energy secretary Chris Huhne wants all cars and vans powered entirely by renewable energy. But the move will cost Britain’s motorists tens of millions of pounds. ‘Green’ cars are prohibitively expensive, with some such as the Toyota Prius, which emit little carbon dioxide, costing £20,000. Yhe plan could also see 32,000 wind turbines built in the rush to meet strict green targets and power a mass electrification of the transport system and domestic heating. Meanwhile, last night it emerged Britain has spent £600million trying to promote green technologies in Third World countries since 2006. --Giles Sheldrick,
Daily Express, 5 December 2011
The construction of new renewable energy generation capacity has fallen dramatically, as the big six energy suppliers pursue a "dash for gas" policy that could put the UK's climate change targets out of reach and leave households with higher bills. The number of new wind turbines built this year is down by half on last year. This contrasts with the 30GW of new gas-fired power stations that are at planning stage. These will require tens of billions of pounds of investment, coming mostly from the big six energy suppliers. -- Fiona Harvey,
The Observer, 4 December 2011 
