DELIVERING GREEN CHANGE, NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT IT

There has been much talk of green issues at this election and I trust that is due to the work of Liberal Democrats in government fighting the Tories tooth and nail to make the coalition the greenest government ever. In the past five years we have:

• Secured £37bn investment in renewable electricity
• Established the world's first Green Investment Bank
• Led Europe to agree a new more ambitious EU-wide climate change target
• Planted over 1 million trees
• Insulated 1m homes in two years
• Cut £50 off household energy bills and boosted competition, with small suppliers now supplying 10% of the market

Today, we launched our Environment Manifesto and business leaders, investors and philanthropists have backed our green economy vision. The letter in the Independent praises the Lib Dem record in Government and emphasises the need for them to be part of the next Government. It highlights how the Lib Dems have delivered on the green agenda since 2010.

The letter notes that these achievements were made in the face of almost daily battles with Conservative opponents on everything from onshore wind to keeping climate change in the geography curriculum.

The Liberal Democrat Environment Manifesto sets out a programme of delivery for the next five years and beyond, building on the Five Green Laws which are highlighted on the front page of the Party's General Election Manifesto. These laws will stimulate more green growth, improve greener transport options, create more energy efficient homes, improve our air quality, reduce household waste and create a zero-carbon Britain within a generation.

If you are considering voting green, I would urge you to look at our impressive record and our promise of more, including:

• a Green Homes Bill to properly insulate every home, keeping bills down, cutting carbon and keeping people cool in summer. Everyone who insulates their home fully will get £100 off their Council Tax for ten years
• Interest-free loans for insulation costs
• A Zero-carbon Bill to green our electricity even further, including getting rid of coal power generation by 2025.
• Continue the shift to cleaner energy supported by the Green Investment Bank to support 250,00 low carbon jobs by 2020.
• More energy market competition to keep bills down, setting a target for 30% of the energy market to be supplied by independent companies

These are proposals we can actually deliver AND afford.

Protecting the environment, tackling climate change and delivering on the green agenda isn't just nice to have, it is essential.

In Government we have a proud record of delivery - from nearly tripling electricity from renewables, to making more than 1 million homes warmer and cheaper to heat and securing an ambitious EU-wide agreement on tackling climate change.

Our plan for five new Green Laws on the front of the Lib Dem manifesto shows our intent to go further and faster if we're in the next Government. Lib Dems in Government for the next five years will insure our environment against the risk of sharp lurches to the left or right that would result in this country's focus on a high skill, low carbon economy coming to a grinding halt.

I hope you will vote for me on May 7 so that I can continue to  deliver sustainable green change which helps to cut your bills and grow our economy.