After Saturday’s hugely successful Wave demonstration in London, a group of representatives from the Stop Climate Chaos coalition met with climate change Minister, Ed Miliband. He pitched up in jeans, t-shirt and sneakers, making a joke about how officials freak out if ministers don’t go to meetings in suits because they are afraid they will be lampooned for having no fashion sense and insisted on being called ‘Ed’ rather than ‘Minister’, ‘Secretary of State’ or ‘Mr Miliband’.

However relaxed his appearance, important and serious questions were to be put to him. Some asked about financing support for developing countries, particularly Bangaladesh in the light of his recent visit. His view is that most of the money should go for adaptation and that the money needs to distributed via the UN, not via existing institutions- a position he recognised might not find support in the USA.

The coalition is broad so the questions were diverse, ranging from how to get local councils involved (‘need to introduce carbon budgets’) and the health dimension (he seemed genuinely surprised when a medical student expressed the view that the NHS simply didn’t get the issue) to why the DECC website says nothing about eating meat being a major source of carbon emissions (he said he would make sure it was amended to point out that eating less meat was a good idea planet-wise, but wasn’t prepared to be any more prescriptive than that) and what to do about state-owned bank RBS investing millions in the exploitation of the Alberta tars sands, the question which provoked the longest round of applause. He said he had been lobbied on this before and would try to take action – whatever that means.

I managed to pose a question to him on behalf of Practical Action on the debate about ‘cap and trade’. I asked if he subscribed to the view held, amongst others, by leading American climate scientist James Hansen, that C&T was simply an excuse for developed countries to continue ‘business as usual’ by giving money for carbon offsets to developing countries. Ed said he was depressed by James Hansen’s view and his approach was ‘a futile recipe’. The reaction from the floor was clearly more supportive of a healthy scepticism of cap and trade.

All in all a passionale and well informed discussion. ‘Ed’ is very much on top of his brief – none of the question in the hour or so session fazed him. A very impressive performance which hopefully will carry weight in Copenhagen.

See also: 50,000 people Waving not drowning | Practical Action in Copenhagen