It’s nothing personal – and I’m not in the habit of calling for ministerial resignations willy-nilly, but things have got to change at the Department of Energy and Climate Change.

Creating a cabinet level climate change secretary is a welcome step – a Green government would certainly have one – the Government has used the post as a smokescreen behind which to hide its appalling environmental and social record.

Ed Miliband, current holder of the poisoned chalice of being a New Labour climate change minister, really must rise to the task – or resign and make way for someone who will.

Just look at this Government’s recent record – saying ‘yes’ to a new runway at Heathrow Airport, and even refusing to rule out a new coal-fired power station in Kent.

So while Ed Miliband talks the talk – he clearly isn’t persuading his colleagues in Government to walk the walk when it comes to cutting emissions.

Trouble is, he’s responsible for making sure they do.

That’s why I’m issuing him a five-point challenge to help, and we’ve organised a picket of an event at which he’s due to speak in Brighton tomorrow (do join them at 7pm outside the Brighthelm Centre is you’ve nothing else on) to make sure he gets the message.

Of course, he can’t deliver all this alone, but if he’s doing his job he must persuade his colleagues that the Government must:

Reverse the decision to all a third runway at Heathrow Airport – and rule out all new runway building in the UK. Stop all tax breaks, hidden subsidies and other support for the aviation industry.

Stop the planned new coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth, Kent – and support renewable energy instead.

Tackle fuel poverty by rolling out free insulation for every home in the UK – and ban charging higher energy prices to the least able to afford it: those saddled with ‘pre-payment meters’.

End the banks’ culture of paying big bonuses, prevent home repossessions, and support the ‘green’ technologies we need to tackle rising unemployment – and the transition to a low-carbon future.

Tax the windfall profits of the energy industry (and make cure the cost isn’t just passed on to bills!), and tightly regulate the financial sector – to make sure we don’t get in this mess again.

I hope he has the courtesy to reply – watch this space and I’ll tell you what he says!