EASTLEIGH MP Chris Huhne has been confirmed as energy and climate change secretary after a day of speculation about his role in the new Lib Con coalition.

The twice a contender for Liberal Democrat leader was awarded one of the Cabinet seats closest to his party's heart.

Before the General Election the Lib Dems embedded ''green'' into every section of their manifesto, with plans for a ''zero-carbon'' Britain including greening homes and schools and a massive expansion of marine and offshore wind energy.

Mr Huhne will be joined in the new coalition Cabinet by Hampshire Tory MPs David Willetts and Sir George Young.

Havant MP Mr Willetts becomes minister of state for universities and science while North West Hampshire MP Sir George is named Leader of the Commons.

Holding the post of energy and climate change secretary will not be Mr Huhne's first foray into environmental affairs, as he was environment spokesman under Sir Menzies Campbell, against whom he had run for the party's top post in 2006.

Mr Huhne ran again for Lib Dem leader in 2007, this time coming second to Nick Clegg, and then took over the party's home affairs brief.

Like the new Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Huhne was educated at Westminster School, before heading to Magdalen College, Oxford, where he got a first in politics, philosophy and economics.

Before entering politics he was an economic and financial journalist and writer, and a City economist. Like Mr Clegg, he also had a stint in the European Parliament.

Mr Huhne, who first entered Parliament in 2005, was a member of the four-strong negotiating team who have been locked in talks with the Tories over the past few days, and has been rewarded for his efforts with a Cabinet post.

Today's published coalition agreement shows the significant common ground between the two parties' environmental manifestos.

The long list of measures they agree on include emissions performance standards for power stations, tough targets to boost renewables, a smart electricity grid and a ''pay as you save'' loans scheme to help people green their homes.

But it may not all be plain sailing for Mr Huhne in the post, with the role of nuclear power one of the areas where the two parties differ.

The deal done between the two parties allows the Lib Dems to argue against nuclear power, but requires them to abstain in the vote on a new national planning statement which would pave the way for construction of new nuclear plants.

Mr Huhne's appointment to the post will also mean the third Secretary of State in as many years leading the UK negotiating team on efforts to secure an international deal on climate change.

Tough and often antagonist talks to secure a new climate agreement await Mr Huhne in Cancun, Mexico, towards the end of the year, where he must follow in the footsteps of former environment secretary Hilary Benn who led the UK team in Bali in 2007 and Ed Miliband who was a key player in Copenhagen last December.