A not so green Budget

Table of contents

• Original news
• The Chancellor announced a ‘shale gas field allowance’. How pleased do you think the industry is?
• How does this fit in with the existing regulatory framework and EU environmental policy?
• What does this tell us about the government’s holistic environmental policy?
• The Chancellor referred to the planned new nuclear power plant at Hinckley Point C in his speech. What is the significance of the governments supposed commitment to new nuclear?
• Does this budget indicate an increased engagement with technologies and infrastructure like carbon capture and ultra-low emission vehicles?
• Which industries are to be exempt from the Climate Change Levy?
• Is the UK any closer to meeting its climate change targets after the Budget?

Article summary

Environment analysis: Shale gas and carbon capture and storage both featured among the environmental themes in George Osborne’s Budget on 20 March. But how green was the Budget overall? Chris Staples and Sarah Vickers of Linklaters examine the budget.