New Energy and Climate Change Department

So the reshuffle has happened, and there is a new Energy and Climate Change Department, with Ed Miliband as the new Secretary of State, illustrating the importance of climate change now within the Cabinet. The new department has been set up due to power struggles between BERR and DEFRA – hopefully the new department will allow remove the difficulties of conflicting priorities, and allow change to happen.

The new department is going down well with the key green NGOs, and they seem to have high hopes of what is can achieve.

Greenpeace Executive Director John Sauven said: ‘For the last ten years this government has dithered on climate change, offering us inspiring rhetoric but little in the way of real action. Bringing energy and climate together at last reflects the urgency of the threat we face from climate change.’

Director of Campaigns at WWF-UK David Norman, said: 'It shows a clear recognition that the UK's chances of hitting its climate targets are inextricably linked to its energy policies.'

Friends of the Earth Executive Director Andy Atkins said: "The creation of a single department to oversee climate and energy policy is a big step forward. This is a golden opportunity to integrate the UK’s climate and energy policies – something which has been so obviously lacking in the past. We hope to see this new department, with a dynamic Secretary of State at the helm, lift our energy policy out of the dark ages to meet the challenges of the twenty first century.

So it looks like Brown may have increased his popularity with the green voters, but we will wait and see what policy changes happen as this new department progresses.