Emergency Budget: Environment

Notwithstanding Government comments to date the Budget proves it is too early to tell if blue and yellow will mix to make green.

In his early days as Prime Minister David Cameron has been keen to persuade the nation that we are about to experience the ‘greenest government ever’ following on from pre-election and Coalition agreement commitments (‘Rebuilding Security: Conservative Energy Policy for an Uncertain World’).  In this context one could be forgiven for anticipating some interesting environmental policy announcements particularly the shift away from profit income and consumption related taxation towards greater use of green taxes popular with both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. However it is now evident the George Osborne’s green tie was not indicative of his proposed focus in his speech. There was little more green policy news than confirmations of...