conservatives

Coal and nuclear are dying, and the future of energy lies in solar. This isn’t a Guardian reader’s fantasy, this is the established trend in energy markets. This isn’t a declaration of victory over carbon dioxide either – the trend isn’t fast enough to stop catastrophic climate change, at least not yet – but it’s useful information for policy makers. Unless you’re George Osborne, in which case it’s time to plough the nation’s remaining finances into life support for nuclear and coal whilst standing athwart history yelling ‘STOP!’ 

Here’s a prediction: the next UK government will do great things for global marine protection.

At this stage in a general election campaign it’s sometimes hard to find something that politicians wearing differently coloured rosettes can agree on, but with an unprecedented bunch of manifesto commitments, there’s a growing certainty that the next UK government will be an ocean champion.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to be in the House of Lords to see the latest instalment of the decarbonisation target saga unfold. This is the target which would see carbon removed from the UK’s electricity system by 2030. It should be in the Energy Bill but isn't, because George Osborne fought to keep it out.

Is it really a year since David Cameron, newly ensconced as prime minister, assured us that the coalition would be the "greenest government ever"? It's an anniversary worth remembering, if only to consider how, in environmental terms, Cameron's government seems stuck in reverse.

Ever since last month’s Budget, oil companies have been complaining about George Osborne’s tax on North Sea oil and gas. Yet many have just announced record profits - boosted considerably by current sky-high oil prices. What do they take us for?