Policy

UK Government asks local councils to work together on climate change

The UK Government’s Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne yesterday called on local councils to work with central departments on meeting climate change targets.

Speaking at the Local Government Association annual conference in Bournemouth earlier this week, Huhne said:

“We need to… to construct a new partnership between local and central government, which enables us to meet these goals in the fastest and most cost-effective manner possible.”

Local councils will have a central role in the Government’s Green Deal, which Huhne says will form the heart of the new Energy Bill that will be introduced later in the year.

Together with the previously announced extension to CERT – the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, the schemes will aim to make home insulation more affordable for homes and businesses.

Councils could work with energy companies to reach those most in need of help or mobilising communities to insulate whole streets at a time.

Huhne also reiterated the Government’s commitment to more community-owned renewable energy schemes and his promise to repeal the 1976 Local Government Act to allow councils to sell any electricity they generate from such schemes.

But going forward towards the UK’s target of an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, Huhne indicated that local authorities will have to take responsibility for emission in their region.

Quite how this will be achieved – Huhne ruled out local targets or carbon budgets – remains to be worked out.

For further information:
www.decc.gov.uk
www.lga.gov.uk/

09 July 2010

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