Claire Coutinho has been appointed as the new secretary of state for energy security and net zero as previous environment secretary Grant Shapps is promoted into the cabinet role of defence secretary.
While she has enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks of the Tory party, what will Coutinho bring to her role as she looks to deliver on the UK’s commitment to hit net zero carbon emissions by 2050?
First elected as a Conservative MP for her constituency of East Surrey in December 2019, Coutinho already has some green credentials as an active member of the Conservative Environment Group, where she campaigned for “wild belts” to be left during planning decisions.
She has also previously praised the UK for its offshore wind progress and raised environmental issues in parliament – in her maiden speech in 2020 she praised the “remarkable” story of renewable energy and focused on her appreciation for the environment in her constituency.
“East Surrey is known for its local beauty. There are four local nature reserves, eight sites of special scientific interest and over a third of the area is an area of outstanding natural beauty or of great landscape value,” she said at the time.
“I hope to be a champion of this house to preserve and protect this treasured way of life in the future.”
However, despite Coutinho’s apparent love of nature, opponents may be tempted to raise concerns around a recent decision to allow oil drilling in nearby Avington – also an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Congrats to Claire Coutinho as new Energy Secretary – who’s mentioned climate change a grand total of 3 times in parliamentary debates – not exactly inspiring my confidence! It’s vital she does a better job than her (many) predecessors – and can start by ruling out #Rosebank
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) August 31, 2023
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In April this year, Coutinho was also part of a group of Conservative MPs who failed to support Labour and Lib Dem plans proposals for automatic fines for sewage dumping by water companies to be introduced.
It comes as an increasing number of water companies have been treading murky water as they face criticism for failing to deal with the pollution.
She has also been critical of the expansion of Ulez, signing an open letter which described the pollution-busting policy as a “kick in the teeth” to those who can least afford it.
Prior to her career in politics Coutinho attended Exeter College, Oxford before working for the investment bank Merril Lynch, followed by accounting firm KPMG.
I congratulate Claire Coutinho on her appointment as Energy Secretary.
But it speaks volumes about the failures of Tory policy that we are now onto the 6th Secretary of State since 2019.
Reshuffling of the deckchairs will not deliver the proper energy policy Britain needs.
— Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) August 31, 2023
Her first ministerial position was as a special advisor to the Treasury in where she spent time serving as an aide to then chancellor and current prime minister Rishi Sunak, before resigning in protest at the government’s handling of the Chris Pincher allegations.
She has been an ardent support of Brexit, which led to her office being vandalised when she backed Dominic Cummings.
Her appointment comes at a time when the prime minister has been facing increasing criticism for his approach to environmental policy, such as his decision to expand North Sea oil and gas drilling and his approach to policies like low emission zones.
With cautious optimism, campaigners are hoping that Coutinho can help turn the policy tide.
Greenpeace policy director Dr Doug Parr said: “We don’t envy the new energy secretary’s job. She’s picked up the baton for the final leg of a relay where her fellow runners have mostly been walking, sometimes backwards. Her department has a huge amount of catching up to do to tackle both the energy and climate challenges in her new job title.”
“Fortunately, there are plenty of things that will deliver on both, from removing absurd blockages to cheap renewables to fixing our energy-wasting homes and bringing our power grid into the 21st century. In her maiden speech, Claire Coutinho described renewables as ‘one of the most remarkable success stories in the UK today”
“Perhaps she could persuade the prime minister to build on that success story instead of blocking it. If she can do that, it’ll be good news for bill payers, the climate and the economy. We wish her best of luck.”
