Thursday, May 26, 2011
Chris Huhne in the driving seat
Considering the personal issues that he has had to deal with, Chris Huhne's performance in government over the last few months has been outstanding. But do not take my word for it. Here is the Telegraph's Environmental Correspondent, Geoffrey Lean:
Last week the government adopted the world-beating goal of cutting carbon emissions to half 1990 levels by 2025. No other country, as Nick Clegg put it, “has set legally-binding targets in this much detail, so far ahead”. And then yesterday it announced that it was setting up an effective, independent, statutorily-based, Green Investment Bank, the first of its kind anywhere in the world. Taken together, they seem set to make David Cameron’s pledge to run “the greenest government ever” – which was in danger of becoming a national joke – a sober reality. The environmentalists who were so loud in writing government off just a fortnight ago are now looking green in more senses than one.
Both decisions were cliffhangers. Both were pushed by Huhne, resisted by Chancellor George Osborne and Business Secretary Vince Cable, and resolved only at the last minute by a top level intervention – from the Prime Minister over the target and his deputy over the bank. By widespread consent they would not have gone the way they did without the Energy and Climate Change Secretary’s commitment, competence and sheer cussed combativeness, and – though not greatly loved at Westminster – he has won wide respect for his nerve under fire. Whatever now happens to him – and environmentalists are desperately hoping he survives – he has achieved more in a year than most top politicians manage in a lifetime.
It is the Liberal Democrats and Chris Huhne in particular, who have pushed the green agenda the hardest in government. We don't know yet what his fate will be but if he does have to go then he will be very difficult to replace.
Last week the government adopted the world-beating goal of cutting carbon emissions to half 1990 levels by 2025. No other country, as Nick Clegg put it, “has set legally-binding targets in this much detail, so far ahead”. And then yesterday it announced that it was setting up an effective, independent, statutorily-based, Green Investment Bank, the first of its kind anywhere in the world. Taken together, they seem set to make David Cameron’s pledge to run “the greenest government ever” – which was in danger of becoming a national joke – a sober reality. The environmentalists who were so loud in writing government off just a fortnight ago are now looking green in more senses than one.
Both decisions were cliffhangers. Both were pushed by Huhne, resisted by Chancellor George Osborne and Business Secretary Vince Cable, and resolved only at the last minute by a top level intervention – from the Prime Minister over the target and his deputy over the bank. By widespread consent they would not have gone the way they did without the Energy and Climate Change Secretary’s commitment, competence and sheer cussed combativeness, and – though not greatly loved at Westminster – he has won wide respect for his nerve under fire. Whatever now happens to him – and environmentalists are desperately hoping he survives – he has achieved more in a year than most top politicians manage in a lifetime.
It is the Liberal Democrats and Chris Huhne in particular, who have pushed the green agenda the hardest in government. We don't know yet what his fate will be but if he does have to go then he will be very difficult to replace.
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Greater regulations led to rare earth material mining to virtually come to a standstill in the west to the extent that over 90% of rare earth materials switched to China. These materials are VITAL in so many processes and kit used across the world. The level of pollution related to such mining has not gone down (probably went up earth-wise) and recently China announced it is restricting the export of fine earth materials probably hoping to 'play the supply game' to further boost their strategic goals including 'encouraging' more manufacturing of high-tech kit to move to China. Now countries in the west are faced with a dilemma; America is responding by working on new legislation to make sure rare material mining ‘happens once more’ in the USA. So apart from rendering the West more vulnerable and exporting yet more jobs to China, what was the point of over-regulating rare materials mining?
ChrisW
ChrisW
# posted by 
: 12:47 PM
: 12:47 PM
Chris huhnes has done well .
Considering the antipathy towards the Environment shown by Tories, done very well.
Cheryl Gillan and Glyn Davies being against windfarms in montgomery. Good Job the lib dems are in coalition.
Considering the antipathy towards the Environment shown by Tories, done very well.
Cheryl Gillan and Glyn Davies being against windfarms in montgomery. Good Job the lib dems are in coalition.
# posted by : 5:55 PM
: 5:55 PM
The titles a bit naff considering what the police are after him for maybe not a good choice
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# posted by : 7:17 PM
: 7:17 PM<< Home
