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

ECONOMIST: Shale gas will not solve Britain��s energy problems

The committee will examine the philosophical and practical issues behind this with Professor Dieter Helm, the chair of the newly-created Natural Capital Committee.

BBC: Week ahead

If it connected its national grids together into a European one, argues Dieter Helm, an energy economist at Oxford University, that would lower the costs of operation by enough to transform the economics of the business.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

Dieter Helm, professor of energy policy at Oxford University, says the underlying assumptions about the costs of various technologies are likely to prove overoptimistic because they are produced by people who have an interest in exaggerating their viability.

ECONOMIST: Is it worth it?