Environmental campaigners yesterday welcomed the creation of a department of energy and climate change. They said the announcement was a "big step forward".

Green Alliance director Stephen Hale said the new department, with Ed Miliband in charge, put climate change where it belonged - with its own seat at the cabinet table.

Environmental groups in Scotland also welcomed the news as a positive sign of a more coherent approach to tackling global warming.

Corinne Evans, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "This is a golden opportunity to integrate the UK's climate and energy policies - something which has been so obviously lacking in the past."

Jason Ormiston, chief executive of Scottish Renewables, the green energy trade body, said: "We welcome Miliband stepping into this role and expect the post will help join up policy on energy and climate change. It should also help extend the focus to renewable heating as well as electricity.

"However, continued poor access for Scottish renewable energy developments to the electricity grid and high charges for its use will hamper attempts to meet UK climate change targets - Miliband has a key role to play now in removing these barriers."