Recently by Andrew Whitehead

It was mystifying to see a report last week that suggests that only about 1,200 of the estimated 5,000 or so businesses and public sector organisations expected to be caught by the new CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC) have so far registered.

When it comes to international climate change agreements, the UN has been the only game in town. However, Copenhagen demonstrated the inability of the UN to deliver consensus, in the face of so many participant countries with such diverse agendas and perspectives. Now it looks as if some other approach is probably needed.

As the summer holiday season approaches, is anyone paying attention to climate change, beyond a quick glance at the 7 day weather forecast?

This week's emergency budget was never going to be about saving the planet, but about saving the UK's AAA credit rating whilst avoiding a double dip recession.

So far, so predictable. England's world cup campaign is off to a spluttering start, with a tense draw against a team we really ought to have beaten comfortably, and yes, a goalkeeping howler.

Well, what an exciting week!

At long last, we can expect the TV schedules to slowly get back to something like normality - and not before time, as this election has played havoc with the record facility on my cable box.

One thing strikes me as we approach the end of the election campaign, and that is how little we have heard about energy and climate change issues. Nuclear got a paltry 5 minutes or so in the second leaders' debate when Brown and Cameron had a go at Clegg, but that was it.

On one level, it's a welcome relief to see the election knocked off the front pages. But it's Iceland once again dominating the headlines. With memories still raw from the treatment of our savers at the hands of its banks, this time it's our travellers who find themselves at the mercy of one of the country's unpronounceable volcanoes.

The budget contained good news for the wind lobby - not only is the new Green Investment Bank to have an early focus on wind farms, but the offshore wind sector is given an additional boost with the announcement of up to £60m to develop port sites. This will be made available to potential site developers on a competitive basis.

We were promised no pre-election gimmicks or giveaways, just a 'sensible and workmanlike' budget. Things didn't get off to a promising start with the widely predicted temporary scrapping of stamp duty for first time buyers on properties up to £250k - funded by a hike in stamp duty for properties above £1m (you'd never guess an election was around the corner).