--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My experience as energy and climate…" description: "\"My experience as energy and climate change secretary - in the months I spent battling George Osborne over the budget for investment in low carbon, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/ed-davey-5794_change_my-experience-as-energy-and-climate-chan_715034.jpg" --- # My experience as energy and climate change secretary - in… ![“My experience as energy and climate change secretary - in the months I spent battling George Osborne over the budget for investment in low carbon, and in the daily attrition with Eric Pickles over onshore wind - was that many Conservatives simply regard their commitment to climate change action as…” quote by Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/ed-davey-5794_change_my-experience-as-energy-and-climate-chan_715034.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/ed-davey-5794_change_my-experience-as-energy-and-climate-chan_715034.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/ed-davey-5794_change_my-experience-as-energy-and-climate-chan_715034.jpg) > “My experience as energy and climate change secretary - in the months I spent battling George Osborne over the budget for investment in low carbon, and in the daily attrition with Eric Pickles over onshore wind - was that many Conservatives simply regard their commitment to climate change action as something they had to say to get into power.” [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Conservatives often treat climate action as a political slogan rather than a genuine commitment. **In simple terms:** Politicians may say they support climate change for power. Key Takeaway Recognize and demand authentic climate policies. Themes politics climate authenticity Mood cynical skeptical Type political critical When to use this quote - government budgeting - public advocacy - environmental legislation Key Concepts green policy political rhetoric Questions to Reflect On - How can voters hold leaders accountable for genuine climate action? - What incentives could encourage sincere commitment? A Different Perspective Political motives can undermine real environmental progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Climate change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate-change/) [Conservatives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservatives/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wind/) ## Related quotes > [The Democrats, the left has this 30-year playbook of how to destroy conservatives by simply exposing the horrible, the mean-spirited, insensitive things they say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-democrats-the-left-has-this-30-year-playbook-of-how-to-destroy/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [My job as energy and climate change secretary is to both power the country and protect the planet. Nuclear power delivers on both of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/my-job-as-energy-and-climate-change-secretary-is-to-both-power-the/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [Energy is one of those things that brings Europe together in terms of our security needs, affordable energy and climate change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/energy-is-one-of-those-things-that-brings-europe-together-in-terms-of/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [Ed Miliband rails against energy companies and says the market isn't working. But wasn't he Britain's first secretary of state for energy and climate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/ed-miliband-rails-against-energy-companies-and-says-the-market-isn-t/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [There is a connection between energy, climate, food and political stability. 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We must urgently explore realistic ways to address the different scientific, technical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennart-bengtsson/it-is-important-to-allow-a-broad-debate-on-energy-and-climate-we-must/) Lennart Bengtsson > [We can't just drill our way out of the energy and climate challenge that we face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-can-t-just-drill-our-way-out-of-the-energy-and-climate-challenge/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [George Osborne and Iain Duncan Smith unveiled reforms to our benefits system that will give everyone an incentive to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-boles/george-osborne-and-iain-duncan-smith-unveiled-reforms-to-our-benefits/) [Nick Boles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-boles/) > [If George Osborne wants to end 'unfairness' then he shouldn't scrap a grant that enables every young person to have the same opportunity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-hartley-brewer/if-george-osborne-wants-to-end-unfairness-then-he-shouldn-t-scrap-a/) [Julia Hartley-Brewer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-hartley-brewer/) > [Each day more coalition MPs in seats outside the South East come out against George Osborne's regional pay cut plans, and Vince Cable now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-o-grady/each-day-more-coalition-mps-in-seats-outside-the-south-east-come-out/) [Frances O'Grady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-o-grady/) > [Every austerity measure that Cameron and George Osborne make is being presented in Scotland as the English starving us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-davies/every-austerity-measure-that-cameron-and-george-osborne-make-is-being/) [Norman Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-davies/) > [Yes, I travel in unusual circles. George Osborne and his wife Frances are my cousins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-hall/yes-i-travel-in-unusual-circles-george-osborne-and-his-wife-frances/) [Daryl Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-hall/) > [“If George Osborne had dressed up as a cross between Flashman and the Grim Reaper instead of a business suit when he delivered his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grayson-perry/if-george-osborne-had-dressed-up-as-a-cross-between-flashman-and-the/) [Grayson Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grayson-perry/) > [What is even more worrying still is George Osborne's breathtakingly complacent response to today's figures. This is a Chancellor who is in total denial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-balls/what-is-even-more-worrying-still-is-george-osborne-s-breathtakingly/) [Ed Balls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-balls/) ## More by Ed Davey > [No-deal Brexit could be Boris Johnson's biggest deception yet - worse than the Boris bus or the lies that had him sacked as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/no-deal-brexit-could-be-boris-johnson-s-biggest-deception-yet-worse/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [When I fought the Tories over climate change and won, more than trebling renewable power with a new subsidy policy combining state intervention with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/when-i-fought-the-tories-over-climate-change-and-won-more-than/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [I'm proud to have led the brokering of the ambitious 2030 climate package in the European Union to cut greenhouse gases by at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/i-m-proud-to-have-led-the-brokering-of-the-ambitious-2030-climate/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [We now have the economics confirming that not only is climate action required to reduce climate risks, but that it is vital to building…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/we-now-have-the-economics-confirming-that-not-only-is-climate-action/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [Britain's energy markets were a mess in 2010.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/britain-s-energy-markets-were-a-mess-in-2010/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [We must face up to the long-term failures of Britain's approach to immigration and make the argument for an effective, compassionate and liberal alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/we-must-face-up-to-the-long-term-failures-of-britain-s-approach-to/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [I am not going to give up on renewable energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/i-am-not-going-to-give-up-on-renewable-energy/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [There is no good time to break the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/there-is-no-good-time-to-break-the-law/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [Not having a roof over your head at night must be frightening, cold, lonely and depressing. 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Our British family has cooperated brilliantly, working together with shared goals and values,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/the-union-that-is-the-united-kingdom-has-been-extraordinarily/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [Diplomacy is essential if we are to find peaceful resolutions in times of tension.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/diplomacy-is-essential-if-we-are-to-find-peaceful-resolutions-in/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [I've been a young carer, an adult carer and a parent carer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/i-ve-been-a-young-carer-an-adult-carer-and-a-parent-carer/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [On climate change, Britain is leading in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/on-climate-change-britain-is-leading-in-europe/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) > [By leading on a strong emissions reduction target, the U.K. is persuading others on the need for member states to have the freedom and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/by-leading-on-a-strong-emissions-reduction-target-the-u-k-is/) [Ed Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) [Explore all 100 Ed Davey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My experience as energy and climate change secretary - in the months I spent battling George Osborne over the budget for investment in low carbon, and in the daily attrition with Eric Pickles over onshore wind - was that many Conservatives simply regard their commitment to climate change action as something they had to say to get into power.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ed Davey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/my-experience-as-energy-and-climate-change-secretary-in-the-months-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/my-experience-as-energy-and-climate-change-secretary-in-the-months-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/ed-davey-5794_change_my-experience-as-energy-and-climate-chan_715034.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/ed-davey-5794_change_my-experience-as-energy-and-climate-chan_715034.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/75c/ed-davey-5794_change_my-experience-as-energy-and-climate-chan_715034.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My experience as energy and climate change secretary - in the months I spent battling George Osborne over…” — Ed Davey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ed Davey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-davey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My experience as energy and climate...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/my-experience-as-energy-and-climate-change-secretary-in-the-months-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-davey/my-experience-as-energy-and-climate-change-secretary-in-the-months-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```