My thoughts on Owen Paterson

"From my own direct constituency experience I don’t personally think that inland wind farms are effective at reducing carbon. I don’t even think they are effective at producing energy."

These words were recently uttered by new Defra head Owen Paterson in an interview with Farmers Weekly. Rather gratifyingly, the interview occurred on the same day that the UK generated 4.1GW of wind power, the largest quantity ever achieved in this country and enough to power more than 3 million homes. The timing was also fortunate because only a matter of weeks previously the Institute for Public Policy Research published a report demonstrating that wind farms were effective at reducing carbon, and were also effective at producing energy. It could be argued that Paterson was, therefore, talking out of his bottom.

A quick look over his credentials demonstrates rather determined opposition to wind power, and also gives the impression that Paterson is not really the type of forward-thinking, game-changing environmental minister needed at a time of deep crisis. He seems to be cut more from the nimbyish, pastoral cloth that yearns for a picture postcard, pre-industrialised Britain, whilst simultaneously encouraging free-market solutions to environmental problems. Paterson has mentioned his love of trees, and apparently once owned two badgers, but he bemoans subsidies for the renewables sector, and has supported his constituents in protests against wind farms, as well as voting against the hunting ban. His profile seems to be that of a classic social Conservative combined with an economic Liberal: often a dangerous mix when it comes to environmental policy.

I don't believe that Paterson is a climate change sceptic, but it seems pretty clear that green groups and the already nervous renewables sector should be concerned by his appointment. Whilst top amongst those who will be gratified by the move is George Osbourne. After surely playing a role in Caroline Spelman's sacking, the treasury will expect Paterson to be a much more pliable figure than his predecessor. Although it's really too early to jump to conclusions, my hunch is that environmental concerns will be forced even further down the government's agenda after this appointment.