A first test for the other Miliband
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Well, they asked for it – and now they've got it. In 2007 the Government decided to go with the bright idea of a legally-binding programme for reducing its greenhouse gases step by step, and a powerful independent committee to oversee the process. Yesterday the committee, chaired by Adair Turner, came up with its recommendations, and it may have caused a few gulps in Whitehall. The targets it proposed are the toughest in the world.
Yet there is more chance of meeting those targets than there was six months ago. Then, climate change policy was located in one department, the one that looked after the environment; energy policy, the key determinant of climate policy, was located in another, the one that looked after business and industry.
In an argument about, say, new carbon-intensive coal-fired power stations, such as the controversial one proposed at Kingsnorth in Kent, the Environment Secretary (probably against it) and the Business Secretary (probably in favour) would just have to slug it out: hardly a means of making a rational decision.
Not any more. In the summer, energy and climate were brought together in one new department. The new Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Ed Miliband, must decide whether to accept Adair Turner's recommendations for targets, which include the strong suggestion that Kingsnorth should not go ahead without a guarantee that its emissions will be dealt with by carbon capture technology being developed.
Watch out for this decision. It is the hottest potato in green politics. But at least there's now a chance of it being rationally made.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments