Sep 09 - Independent, The; London (UK)

All three main political parties are backsliding on their commitment to green policies in the economic downturn, a coalition of nine environmental groups warns today.

The annual audit by the groups, who have more than five million supporters between them, says the parties will face a backlash from voters unless they toughen their pledges to safeguard the environment.

The organisations, including Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and WWF, call for far greater leadership, vision and courage than we have seen from any of the three main parties in recent months. They add: Despite continuing green rhetoric, weve seen a retreat on this agenda by politicians unwilling to advocate the crucial steps to tackle climate change and other environmental problems for fear of media criticism and electoral unpalatability.

Insisting there is still strong public support for green policies, the report says: An economic downturn must not delay the transition to a low carbon economy or lessen respect for the natural world. We face far more severe recessions than this if we dont tackle the environmental crisis now. Leaders of the three parties come in for criticism. Gordon Browns first year as Prime Minister has seen a contradictory and incoherent approach to the environment, says the report.

Although David Cameron made the environment a defining issue in his first 18 months as Tory leader, the groups say his partys approach has been strong on presentation and weak on substance in the past year and the issue has enjoyed a far lower profile.

Under Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrats have been markedly quieter on green issues, says the report, adding: For much of the past year the Liberal Democrats have not been making the political weather on the environment as they have done in the past.

The Green Standard Report 2008

LABOUR

HIGHS: Renewable energy strategy published; progress in protecting wildlife, countryside and seas; Climate Change Bill introduced

LOWS: Inadequate action on biofuels; Gordon Brown visits Jeddah to "plead for oil"; planning law reforms biased and undemocratic

TORIES

HIGHS: David Cameron says "we cannot afford not to go green"; George Osborne sets out framework to tackle climate change

LOWS: Cameron fails to identify environment as priority for government; party's Quality of Life policy review sidelined

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

HIGHS: Nick Clegg sets out plans to make UK energy independent by 2050; party strengthens Climate Change Bill; commitment to a shift to green taxes

LOWS: Party's traditional leadership on the environment wanes

Originally published by By Andrew Grice Political Editor.

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