This week the Twittersphere has been overheating with comment on a Greenpeace film claiming to have uncovered a plot among senior ministers to derail the UK's (and, incidentally, Dave's) commitment to carbon reduction. The film, posted by Greenpeace on its website, is being called Energygate and comprises interviews with a number of senior Tories.
They are accused of plotting to dismantle the Climate Change Act, brainchild of 'Dave' Cameron, by making it 'advisory', rather than statutory. The statutory nature of the Act was the main thrust of the argument against the Government's policy on gas-fired power stations by the Climate Change Committee, as reported by this column on 17 September. The real question the report doesn't address is why anyone is surprised.
The whole debacle comes just a week ahead of the Doha summit and publication of the long-delayed Energy Bill, which many believe has been delayed because of a guerrilla war between 'Boy' George and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey.
There is a crunch looming. The Lib Dems still fondly imagine they got to share power because of their own core support (despite the fact they lost their deposit in the Corby by-election and were slaughtered in the hugely popular policed commissioner elections), and the Tories really have no idea of how the great majority of people ('plebs') are thinking. Without drastic action from Dave to right the ship, the UK's renewables industry, and with it any hope of meeting its commitments, are in tatters.
Other environmental news concerns a rather tetchy argument going on in London at the moment regarding noise nuisance from Heathrow. The airport's airside director claims the 900% increase in complaints is due to the "wrong sort of wind". Apparently it has been coming from the west and bringing the noise with it.
The explanation has not gone down particularly well with local politicos. One suggested it's because the airport is in the wrong place. Certainly, those opposed to the planned expansion of Heathrow are pointing to the noise problems as yet another reason to ditch the proposals.
The wind is almost always from the west in this part of the Pennines. It, too, is the wrong sort of wind. You guessed it; it always brings rain!
Chris Stokes