Huhne

In a neat bit of symmetry, it is Mr Huhne who must now make some long-term decisions of his own.

Huhne, who will attend the second week of the talks, was more blunt: "No one expects a binding deal on climate change in Cancun. "

The allegation, made by his estranged wife, is denied by Mr Huhne.

Mr Huhne will not be the climate change minister in 2027, when yesterday's target must be met.

To spur their interest, Mr Huhne proposes to offer long-term contracts guaranteeing the price of nuclear-generated electricity.

His main rival, Chris Huhne, the energy secretary, is dogged by claims that he evaded penalties for a motoring offence in 2003.

It included signing a Memorandum of Understanding with UK Energy and Climate Secretary Chris Huhne on areas for joint research.

Their election manifesto promised to abandon plans for new reactors. And Mr Huhne himself is particularly sceptical.

Mr Huhne has also agreed to review progress in 2014, an automatic revision that will align Britain to progress elsewhere in the EU.

Fast lane or slow lane, Chris Huhne has been driving climate change policy in the right direction.

Chris Huhne, the energy secretary, welcomed the report.

For such support, Mr Huhne must have given much thanks.

Huhne recently announced plans to invite green lobby groups in to scrutinise policy in order to hold ministers to their promises.

Chris Huhne, the UK's climate secretary, said more than 120 of the 190-plus countries in Durban backed the EU.

It is time Mr Huhne admits it will be costly to curb global warming, says Dieter Helm of Oxford University.

But there are also some quite ardent environmentalists, such as Chris Huhne, the increasingly assertive Lib Dem energy secretary.

At one fringe meeting, Mr Huhne was asked how he planned to spend his "30 pieces of silver" .