Conservation, consolidation & Conservatives

The recent election and its aftermath have been a delight for those who follow avidly the detailed comings and goings of politics. For those of us who follow the details of environmental legislation with similar dedication, it was a measure shortly before the election that delighted us. And that delight shows a way in which the new government could score some early successes in a way that is unlikely to put the coalition under any pressure or cause risks of parliamentary stresses. This is by improving the state of the statute book by undertaking some basic consolidation.

The initial coalition agreement produced by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats has a substantial section on the environment, expressing the “joint ambitions for a low carbon and eco-friendly economy”. Many of the measures that are noted relate to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, identifying some of the steps necessary if the challenging targets set in