IN ASSOCIATION WITH
little confused as to why it has been left with the
more ‘lightweight’ Defra.
But will the DECC really have much more
clout?
Aside from the reservations about the
department split and carving up of the
environment portfolio, the general consensus
is ‘quite a lot’. It would be “perverse” to see
this move as anything but an extension of
climate change power in Whitehall, says one
expert.
“Defra has long been way down the pecking
order when it comes to the cabinet. The new
department will mean there’s another voice for
climate change around the table,” he adds.
And a pretty powerful voice at that.
Ed Miliband is the secretary of state for
energy and climate change. Ironically, he
will cover some of the same responsibilities
his brother did when he held the secretary of
Will DeCC have more clout than if Defra and beRR had been amalgamated?
state position at Defra. In a further twist, Ed
currently enjoys the same close relationship their new job? Some think not. agreement. It’s difficult to predict what will
with the incumbent resident of Number 10, “Ed Miliband’s first major decision suggests transpire when the 190 nations get together.
as his brother did when he was in charge of he gets it,” says Stephen Hale, director of the But if the disagreements that arose at the EU
climate change. Green Alliance and former advisor to Defra summit in October (when some nations, led by
This, for the green lobby, is a huge bonus. secretary of state, Margaret Beckett. “An 80% Italy, began to question whether the proposals
“The fact he’s chosen Ed Miliband sends a cut in emissions by 2050 is needed to avert to cut greenhouse gases by 20% by 2020 were
strong signal,” says Stephen Doughty, head of catastrophic climate change. It will drive a possible given the financial downturn) are
EU and UK government relations for Oxfam. revolution in energy policy. The looming anything to go by, it could be a contentious
“I think DECC will have [the necessary recession makes bold action more urgent than meeting.
clout], but you’re not going to get nice happy ever. The new department can, and must, use Miliband, of course, also has his work cut
compromises. Sometimes, climate change will energy policy to create new green jobs, and cut out building bridges closer to home. After
come out on top,” he adds. bills through energy efficiency.” years of warring he’ll need to reconcile the
That will be unfamiliar territory for climate As Newsweek reported recently, some of differences between his energy and climate
change officials who have often been beaten the world’s most powerful leaders argue that people. According to a recent profile in The
down by their energy counterparts in BERR. the economic crisis is a call to speed up the Times, Miliband is regarded as a “natural
For the latter, their over-riding concern has creation of a new energy economy. Economists conciliator who could have been a relationship
been energy security. This has left most other at the United Nations are also urging world counsellor if he was not a minister for the
issues benched, and the green lobby frustrated. businesses to redirect resources away from cabinet office”.
Oxfam recently described BERR as “beset speculative financial engineering and into more With energy and climate change issues and
by incoherence”. Jonathon Porritt, chairman of productive, growth-generating, and job-creating officials to marry up, even Miliband will have
the UK Sustainable Development Commission investments for the future: a so-called green his work cut out - especially given that many
is equally damning. economy initiative. civil servants may well have their eyes on what
“The reality is that BERR had, to all US President-elect, Barack Obama, put the Tories are planning than what the current
extents and purposes, become a wholly owned forward ambitious plans on his journey to the government is doing.
subsidiary of the major energy companies. The White House, saying he’ll invest $150bn over And then there’s the cabinet.
pro-nuclear and pro-coal lobbies inside BERR 10 years in a clean energy economy that will As Green Party MEP, Caroline Lucas,
won’t disappear overnight, but they may find generate five million new green jobs. pointed out on The Guardian website recently:
their influence properly curtailed,” he adds. The latest edition of the International “Early indications suggest [Miliband] faces
There’s already evidence that may be the Energy Agency’s World Energy Outlook also exactly the same problem as former, non-
case. encouraged world leaders and policy makers cabinet, climate change ministers - he has a
In his first speech to parliament as new to “usher in a global energy revolution by room full of colleagues who do not believe it
DECC chief, Ed Miliband announced a improving energy efficiency and increasing the is practical to care about the environment in
commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions deployment of low-carbon energy.” which we live, and he is stuck with the job of
by 80% by the middle of this century. This new The UK’s role in all of this will be part green-washing their half-hearted stabs at the
target replaces the previous target outlined in of Miliband’s remit. This month (December) issue.”
the Climate Change Bill of 60%. A bold move. he’ll be in Poznan, Poland, for the UN Climate With the responsibilities he now has, half-
But is this just the usual rhetoric spun out by Change Conference and discussions geared hearted attempts are something Miliband can
new cabinet ministers looking to impress in towards what happens post the Kyoto 2012 ill-afford.
SuStainable SolutionS December/January 2009 11
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