George Osborne

For a long time, many environmentalists were concerned that government efforts to clean up the world’s energy supply were a bit one-sided, in that we were getting on quite well with half the problem – generating clean energy. Meanwhile the other more important half – not generating dirty energy – was being largely ignored.

But here in the UK things have suddenly inverted in a dramatic fashion. Because by the end of this year, we will have 10 fewer gigawatts of coal power than we had at the start of 2015.

If you tuned into the news this morning you might have heard how Hinkley nuclear plant has suffered a further blow. The finance director for EDF, the French energy firm that plans to build the nuclear reactor, has resigned amid rumours that going ahead with the new nuclear plant could leave the company in ruins.

There was a time when it was rare to see solar power on rooftops here in the UK. Our cloudy skies and the high cost of panels meant the technology was out of reach in all but the sunniest parts of the country.

But over the last decade, things have changed dramatically.

In 2009, George Osborne told us that if he became Chancellor "the treasury will become a green ally, not a foe." There appears to have been some confusion about what is expected of a 'green ally', so, to clarify things, here's what he should have done.