At budget time last year I pretended to be a fearful carbon dioxide molecule, concerned for my own future and that of my relatives. There was a possibility that we could be rounded up and stuffed into a hole deep underground. I was very apprehensive.

As it turned out there was nothing to worry about and indeed there was a marked increase in the number of my friends. I wasn’t as optimistic this year as I didn’t believe that they could ignore the future yet again, but I was wrong – they did, and to some tune.

It seems they have again decided that the short-term political time table is more important than what happens to the climate in 20 or 30 years time. I am going to do my best to live long enough to point out the opportunities they missed.

Dilution seems to be the name of the game with targets and investment being pushed into the distant future. It was intended that raising the carbon tax to £30 per tonne by 2020 would have helped phase out the most inefficient coal fired power stations, but that has now been capped at £18. At the same time, tax breaks for the oil and gas industry have been raised by £45 million, and there has been a promise of more investment in carbon-capture schemes to keep coal going.

There will also be more CO2 from flying and driving that was previously intended. Long-haul flights will now attract a lower passenger duty, and the fuel duty rate escalator for motorists has stopped. It was introduced in 1993 to reduce fuel use and so cut air pollution and avoid the necessity for building new roads. During the current Government, it should have increased by seven per cent above inflation, but in fact has fallen by eight per cent over the same period.

There’s also talk about completely banning the further development of onshore wind turbines, probably to appease the shire county voters who might favour wind turbine-hating UKIP politicians. This is despite the growing evidence that communities with a stake in local wind schemes are generally very supportive, as well as the wide experience of other European countries.

We CO2 molecules are delighted that the Government has scrapped the need for the energy companies to support renewable energy, help make our houses more energy efficient and replace inefficient boilers. By abandoning the Green Levy the Government has made it very much harder for the energy companies to help their customers keep down both their bills and the amount of CO2 they produce.

The 2010 promise to be the greenest Government ever is now but a fading memory.