Lib Dems come top in 'green' audit

8.15.27am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 12th Sep 2007

Lib Dems the greenest party

The Liberal Democrats have been voted the greenest of the three main political parties in an audit by Britain's environmental groups published today. How Green Are Our Parties? The Green Standard Report concludes that none of the parties is yet committed to the policies and action on the scale required to meet the range and urgency of the environmental threats facing the world. The Liberal Democrats, regarded as the party with the most long-standing commitment to the environment, come out on top despite efforts by the two biggest parties to catch up.

The report is bad news for David Cameron, who has made the environment a symbol of his attempt to change the image of the Conservative Party. Despite his efforts, the Tories are rated behind the two other parties.

It is the first time that the organisations, who share a total of five million supporters, have carried out such a detailed study of the parties' green credentials. The groups who took part were Camaron, Friends of the Earth, Green Alliance, Greenpeace, the National Trust, the RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts, the Woodland Trust and WWF-UK.

The groups rated the three parties' performance in key areas using a "traffic light" system. A green verdict means they are pleased with the party's policies and direction of travel; an amber rating means they see positive elements but without enough clarity on the ambition or commitment to deliver, and a red light means they are concerned by the party's approach and its lack of positive commitments.

The Tories got no green lights, with the study concluding there was a "stark" gap between the party's aspirations and its limited policy commitments.

Labour achieved one green light for displaying international leadership on combating climate change but was marked down for failing on its renewable energy and carbon emissions targets and not introducing a promised Bill to protect the marine environment.

The Liberal Democrats,were awarded three green lights for their stances on domestic action on global warming, green living and environmental taxes.

Stephen Hale, director of Green Alliance said the Liberal Democrats deserved praise for their approach to climate change but, like the other parties, they had neglected the countryside and wildlife agenda. "The challenge for David Camaron is particularly acute, given diverging views in his own party."