The new government set out its priorities in the Queen’s Speech just before Christmas. Not much in the way of specifics, but the following paragraph will be of interest.

“My Government will continue to take steps to meet the world-leading target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It will continue to lead the way in tackling global climate change, hosting the COP26 Summit in 2020. To protect and improve the environment for future generations, a bill will enshrine in law environmental principles and legally-binding targets, including for air quality. It will also ban the export of polluting plastic waste to countries outside the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and establish a new, world-leading independent regulator in statute.”

According to Utility Week, “speculation is rife that the new prime minister will re-introduce the department for energy and climate change, as part of a wider Whitehall restructure.

Prime minister Boris Johnson is reported to want to create a new super business ministry that would embrace regional development as well as industry. As part of this shake-up, energy and climate change would once again be hived off into its own separate department.”

Chris Stark, Chief Executive Climate Change Committee, sets out the Committee’s priorities for the new administration in his end-of-year blog, stressing that “the coming 12 months are the acid test of the Government’s climate credibility”.