The "Greenest Government Ever?"
Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin has given the strongest indication yet that the coalition's green agenda will avoid the worst of the looming budget cuts.
Speaking at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, Letwin reiterated the Government's commitment to its various low carbon policies.
He also told a fringe meeting that the release of the spending review on October 20 "will see the preservation of our carbon agenda and indeed the ability to follow it through".
He added that the transition to a low carbon economy is "as important" to the coalition as economic growth. He said: "It's not a programme for tomorrow; it starts now but it's a programme for the long term."
The Conservatives dedicated a full day of debate at last week's party conference to the topic of ‘green growth'.
A series of speeches, aimed at underlining the party's commitment to environmental issues, focussed on how Britain can achieve a low carbon economy.
Friends of the Earth's executive director Andy Atkins said Letwin's comments were a "welcome development", but warned they would have to be backed up by genuinely sustainable policy commitments.
He said: "If the Conservative party wants to fulfil David Cameron's pledge to be the greenest government ever, it must follow up with bold action to make it a reality.
"The next few months are critical. The policy decisions the government makes, and particularly its spending review, will show whether or not it is serious about tackling climate change."
The coalition government has been facing growing calls to clarify its climate change and energy policy and to protect low carbon investment in its current spending review.
The decisions will be key to moving towards a low carbon economy.
Speaking at the Conservative party conference in Birmingham, Letwin reiterated the Government's commitment to its various low carbon policies.
He also told a fringe meeting that the release of the spending review on October 20 "will see the preservation of our carbon agenda and indeed the ability to follow it through".
He added that the transition to a low carbon economy is "as important" to the coalition as economic growth. He said: "It's not a programme for tomorrow; it starts now but it's a programme for the long term."
The Conservatives dedicated a full day of debate at last week's party conference to the topic of ‘green growth'.
A series of speeches, aimed at underlining the party's commitment to environmental issues, focussed on how Britain can achieve a low carbon economy.
Friends of the Earth's executive director Andy Atkins said Letwin's comments were a "welcome development", but warned they would have to be backed up by genuinely sustainable policy commitments.
He said: "If the Conservative party wants to fulfil David Cameron's pledge to be the greenest government ever, it must follow up with bold action to make it a reality.
"The next few months are critical. The policy decisions the government makes, and particularly its spending review, will show whether or not it is serious about tackling climate change."
The coalition government has been facing growing calls to clarify its climate change and energy policy and to protect low carbon investment in its current spending review.
The decisions will be key to moving towards a low carbon economy.