Nick Clegg impresses at the climate change rally in Parliament Square

11.15.00pm GMT Sat 6th Dec 2008

Nick Clegg joined thousands of environmental campaigners who marched to Westminster today to demand stronger action to combat climate change. Green Liberal Democrats were delighted with Nick's strong speech at the rally in Parliament Square.

The National Climate March in London was one of many similar events taking place simultaneously around the world. They were organised to coincide with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, taking place in Poznan, Poland.

The four themes of the protest, organised by the Campaign Against Climate Change, were:

• NO to a third runway at Heathrow and any further expansion of aviation

• NO to new coal-fired power stations

• NO to the increased used of biofuels

• YES to more renewable energy and the creation of thousands of "green jobs".

Let's hope Nick's strong speech today signals the start of a concerted effort by him and the Lib Dem front bench to raise climate change, peak oil and sustainability up the agenda so that our party will continue to be seen as a leader on environmental issues.

Green Liberal Democrats believe life after oil will be better; that it will be more local, more connected with nature, less stressed and less chemical. We also believe the Lib Dems need to move on from traditional economic growth theory and start to think about indicators that have more relevance for a post-oil society like happiness or quality of life.