Cameron blocks top climate change expert from energy job

12th December, 2012

David Cameron has blocked the appointment of climate change expert David Kennedy to lead the energy department, the Financial Times has reported.

Kennedy is an economist who is currently Chief Executive at the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), a statutory body that advises the government on delivery of the Climate Change Act 2008. He was put forward for the post at DECC by Energy Secretary Ed Davey as well as by the head of the civil service, it is reported.

Previously at the World Bank, where he worked on energy strategy, Kennedy was defined by an unnamed official as “the strongest candidate in the field for many years for a permanent secretary position”.

It is claimed that formal approval of Kennedy’s appointment was requested of Cameron in November, but that in a surprise move the Prime Minister said he would not support it.

In his role at the Committee on Climate Change, as well as opposing moves towards a new ‘dash for gas’, Kennedy has called for inclusion of international aviation and shipping emissions in the UK’s carbon budget, and for Government to plan on the assumption that UK aviation emissions in 2050 will be no higher than in 2005.