Owen Paterson’s views were doing no favors to the Government’s claim to be, ‘the Greenest Government ever’ and his outpourings since have only highlighted the Government’s view on many environmental issues (see Environmental Audit Report below). His replacement,  Liz Truss, whilst still firmly in the promoting farming and fishing business camp, is presenting a more friendly face. In a detailed speech delivered at The Policy Exchange on the link between the natural environment and the economy she outlines the arguments that Government will no doubt be using in the lead up to the election

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/elizabeth-truss-speech-on-the-environment-and-the-rural-economy

The Environmental Audit Committee takes a rather different view of the Government’s Green credentials The Government has been given a ‘red card’ for its efforts to reduce health-damaging air pollution, protect biodiversity and prevent flooding in a scorecard assessment of its green policies during this Parliament produced by the Environmental Audit Committee. The report comes as the main political parties prepare for their manifesto-setting party conferences. The Committee calls for the creation of new legal commitments to protect the environment, to be overseen by a new ‘Office for Environmental Responsibility’ to ensure all Government policies are compatible with those commitments.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environmental-audit-committee/news/environmental-scorecard-report/