Commenting on Nick Clegg's speech at the Lib Dem Spring Conference today Friends of the Earth's Head of Campaigns Andrew Pendleton said:

"Nick Clegg is right to slam the Chancellor's anti-environmental agenda - building a strong economy and protecting the planet are two sides of the same coin.

"Our dependence on increasingly expensive gas, coal and oil has led to rocketing fuel bills - the Lib Dems must insist on a fresh approach to sort out this mess.

"By developing clean British energy and cutting energy waste we can create thousands of new jobs and build lasting foundations for a clean and prosperous economy."

Commenting on Nick Clegg's announcement that he will be attending the Rio+20 Earth Summit in June this year, Andrew Pendleton said:

"These are going to be the biggest UN talks ever and it's disappointing that David Cameron won't go - it's now up to Nick Clegg to show Britain's serious about creating a cleaner, fairer future."

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. Nick Clegg made the announcement in front of his Party at the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference in NewcastleGateshead.

2. The Rio+20 Earth Summit will launch new negotiations to determine key goals for sustainable development that will help to tackle climate change, protect nature and eradicate poverty.

3. Friends of the Earth slammed the weak agreement reached at the UN climate talks in Durban in December and called on rich countries to commit to tougher emissions cuts.