Green Politics
Landlords are the real winners from Huhne’s ‘Green Deal’ speech
Whilst others are busy comparing competing views on the coalition’s environmental record after Chris Huhne’s speech on the Green Deal at the LSE on Tuesday, all the papers - The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian - seemed to miss a significant aspect of the story behind the climate change and energy secretary’s speech.
Coalition should abandon immigration cap or redefine the target
The Home Affairs Committee’s Immigration Cap report sets out some striking findings about the minimal impact the cap will have in achieving the coalition government’s policy objective of reducing net migration.
Minister: Local Enterprise Partnerships lack “a clear focus” on growth
In a searing critique of government policy, business minister Mark Prisk has written to his boss, Vince Cable, warning that the introduction of Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) across England to replace the eight regional development agencies has generated “considerable friction” from the business community, running the risk that they “become detached from this policy heralding likely failure [of LEPs] in large parts of England”.
Political will at home is key to climate change talks
With less than one month to go until the return of the UNFCCC Climate negotiations, many are beginning to ask the question: Will the UN climate talks help save the planet or is it time to look elsewhere? Guppi Bola looks ahead to the Cancun conference.
Ireland left with nowhere to go, damned if it does, damned if it doesn’t
If Ireland tightens fiscal policy to reduce the deficit, output growth will be even weaker in the short-term, pushing the deficit back up again. And if it cuts taxes or increases spending to boost economic activity, the deficit will also increase. It is damned if it acts, and damned if it doesn’t. Unfortunately, the only way out may be recourse to the IMF.
UN must make the most out of clean energy investments
On Thursday, the UN’s High Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing is due to report back after eight months of deliberations on this thorniest of issues within the international negotiations.