Cameron appoints Amber Rudd as new Secretary of State for energy and climate change

David Cameron has appointed Amber Rudd as secretary of state for the Department of Energy and Climate Change in a move that has been welcomed by green business and campaigners in the build up to the COP21 UN summit in Paris this year.

Rudd has labelled climate science as “compelling” and has called for a strong deal at the key UN climate change conference December.

Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed on Monday that the former Climate Change Minister and newly re-elected MP for Hastings & Rye has been promoted to Secretary of State, replacing Liberal Democrat Ed Davey who lost his seat of Kingston and Surbiton.

Rudd has experience as an investment banker and businesswoman which commentators have cited as useful in delivering the significant investment needed to decarbonise the energy sector and achieve ambitious prospective emissions reduction targets.

First elected as an MP in 2010, Rudd became a parliamentary private secretary to Chancellor George Osborne and then assistant whip.

Her close connections to the Chancellor could be invaluable in securing approval for energy policies.

Barred by Michael Gove, the then Conservative chief whip, from attending the COP20 UN climate talks in Peru in December, Rudd is expected to focus on securing a firm and far reaching deal on emissions reduction.

In the build up to Thursday’s general election, Rudd said: “We will continue to take action to protect the environment as part of our long-term economic plan for green jobs and growth. However, we will do it in a way that represents the lowest possible cost to consumers - through bearing down on the costs of green energy, driving greater innovation and working with business to deliver solutions.”

Rudd faces the immediate challenge of dealing with the DECCs continuing work on the controversial negotiations with EDF to build a new nuclear power plant in the UK.

The new Secretary of State will also have to address how to allocate £1 billion of carbon capture & storage demonstration funding.

Russ is also due to finalise the fifth carbon budget, deliver the Conservative's controversial election pledge to stop the development of onshore wind farms, and manage the impact an EU referendum might have on energy investment and policy.