The Guardian yesterday reported on the appointment of Peter Lilley, “a climate change sceptic and oil company director” to the House of Commons energy and climate change select committee:
“Lilley was one of only five MPs to vote against the Climate Change Act in 2008. He is also vice-chairman and senior independent non-executive director of Tethys Petroleum Ltd, an oil and gas company with operations in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
“The 11-member committee is appointed by the Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department of Energy and Climate Change and its associated public bodies.
“In a parliamentary debate in 2009, the Conservative MP for Hitchin and Harpenden said: “The simple fact is that the science [behind climate change] is not resolved.”
Quite understandably, green campaigners have reacted furiously. In a statement today Greenpeace policy director, Joss Garman, said: “The addition of climate change sceptic and oil company director Peter Lilley to the energy and climate change select committee is part of a growing picture. With Owen Patterson as environment eecretary and anti-wind campaigner John Hayes now energy minister, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Tories are gearing up to assault the Climate Change Act and increase the UK’s reliance on expensive, imported, polluting fossil fuels.”
Caroline Lucas, Green party MP and former leader, told The Guardian: “That Conservative MPs have voted Mr Lilley, a senior oil industry figure and well-known climate sceptic, to serve on the parliamentary committee tasked with scrutinising the UK’s climate and energy policy is a clear sign that anti-green, anti-science forces are gaining ground.
“Mr Lilley’s position as a oil executive means that he is likely to be far more concerned with the short-term profits of the dinosaur polluting fossil fuel barons than tackling the huge threat posed by climate change – or recognising the opportunities of switching to a green economy.”
I would be very interested to hear your views on this appointment.