The coalition government, which laid claims to becoming the 'greenest ever' upon taking power in 2010, has come under increased criticism following the appointment of Phillip Lilley to the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, which oversees the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

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In the wake of last month's parliamentary reshuffle, environmentalists were dismayed by a series of appointments which appeared to show the government had abandoned the last vestiges of its green pretensions and instead committed itself wholesale to deregulation and the pursuit of financial gain.

The removal of former transport secretary Justine Greening during the reshuffle has been interpreted as an intention to press ahead with the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport. Greening was extremely critical of the scheme.  

Owen Paterson’s appointment as Environment Minister also raised eyebrows in September. The former Northern Ireland secretary is committed to deregulation, fiercely pro-hunting, anti-wind energy and a supporter of shale-gas fracking (a deeply controversial and environmentally damaging method of extracting fossil fuels). Whilst in opposition he also tabled a record number of questions related to the badger cull, plans for which were subject to a delay earlier this week, which has led to speculation from Shadow Environment Secretary Mary Creagh that the unpopular policy could be "kicked into the long grass."

Newly appointed energy minister John Hayes is also reportedly anti-wind energy.

Reacting to the reshuffle, George Monbiot, writer and environmentalist said, "The final shred of credibility of ‘the greenest government ever’ has been doused in petrol and ignited with a casual flick of a gold-plated lighter. The appointment of Owen Paterson as environment secretary is a declaration of war on the environment, and another sign that the right of the party – fiercely opposed to anything that prevents business from doing as it wishes – has won."

However, the conservative-led coalition appears to have lost what environmental credibility it had left with the appointment today (25th October) of Peter Lilley, a climate change sceptic and oil company director to the House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Select Committee. In 2008, Lilley was one of only five MPs to vote against the Climate Change Act. He has also been a vocal critic of Nicholas Stern's 2006 review of the economic impacts of climate change. Although Stern found the cost of doing nothing to mitigate or prepare for climate change would be catastrophic and recommended that the benefits of strong, early action on climate change far outweigh the costs of not acting, Lilley is of the opinion that "the mood has changed since the recession".

Commenting on Lilley’s appointment, Greenpeace policy director Joss Garman said, "The addition of climate change sceptic and oil company director Peter Lilley to the energy and climate change select committee is part of a growing picture. With Owen Patterson as Environment Secretary and anti-wind campaigner John Hayes now energy minister, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Tories are gearing up to assault the Climate Change Act and increase the UK’s reliance on expensive, imported, polluting fossil fuels."

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