‘WE believe a world powered by clean energy is both possible and essential. Much of the technology to achieve this already exists and the move to renewable energy is gathering pace in our communities and all over the world.’

So says The Climate Coalition, who awarded Rebecca Pow her ‘Green Heart’ as the ‘greenest new MP’ recently, on its website. 

READ MORE: Rebecca Pow named greenest new MP

The coalition is an apolitical organisation made up of well-known national bodies such as the RSPB, National Trust, the WI, Oxfam and others, all of them familiar house-hold names as being active on many different environmental and conservation fronts.

In addition - as quoted above in their overall statement of vision - as a coalition they are all highly dedicated supporters of low carbon technologies in particular, which very much begs the question as to why, based on her true voting record, they made the award to Ms Pow in the first place? 

Yes, she has taken a stand on several green issues and has, it would seem, an exemplary green lifestyle at home, judging by the piece she wrote for this paper recently but has, frankly, a poor record for supporting low carbon initiatives in Parliament. 

READ MORE: 'I'm conscious of what goes down the loo': Rebecca Pow on being green

So, I repeat, she really could do better, could she not?

And most certainly the acid test will surely come if and when the UK finally leaves the EU.

Ms Pow may well then be faced with the reality of having to give back her award if she is unable to maintain her green stance in what promise to be very tough times ahead.

JF POCOCK
Wellington