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'Binding' carbon targets proposed 'Binding' carbon targets proposed
(about 1 hour later)
Britain could become the first country to set legally binding carbon reduction targets under plans unveiled by Environment Secretary David Miliband.Britain could become the first country to set legally binding carbon reduction targets under plans unveiled by Environment Secretary David Miliband.
He said the draft Climate Change Bill, which includes more cash for wind and solar power, provided "clarity and confidence" for business. The draft Climate Change Bill calls for an independent panel to set ministers a "carbon budget" every five years, in a bid to cut emissions by 60% by 2050.
Under the plans "carbon budgets" would be set every five years in an attempt to cut emissions by 60% by 2050. If they miss the figure, future governments could be taken to court.
Mr Miliband rejected opposition calls for annual emission reduction targets. The Tories and Lib Dems welcomed the proposals, but said carbon budgets should be set annually.
Mr Miliband said the draft Bill was "the first of its kind in any country", and Britain was "leading by example". Mr Miliband has said annual targets would be too rigid to make allowances for climate variations.
He told BBC News 24 the Bill was "born of the recognition that while we have broken the link between economic growth and pollution, we need to do more. We need to be more radical". He hailed the draft bill as "the first of its kind in any country", and said Britain was "leading by example".
The draft Bill will go to public and parliamentary consultation before becoming law next year, but environmental campaigners want to raise the 2050 target to 80% and set annual 3% cut targets to ensure compliance. 'Rolling targets'
The draft legislation will go to public and parliamentary consultation before becoming law next year, but environmental campaigners want to raise the 2050 target to 80% and set annual 3% cut targets to ensure compliance.
Shadow environment secretary Peter Ainsworth said the proposals were a "welcome step forward," although he said some "key elements" were missing at present.
"We would like to see a system of rolling annual rate of change targets - rather than targets set for five year periods - to ensure that the UK remains on track towards a low carbon economy and to ensure true accountability.
"There is a danger that the five-year approach will enable responsibility for failure to be shunted on from one government to another."
Solar powerSolar power
The government's plans include: The carbon reduction targets will be based on advice by an independent committee.
  • Targets to reduce carbon emissions by 60% by 2050 and between 26% and 32% by 2020
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    If future governments fail to achieve the targets, they could be taken to court, with a judicial review deciding what punishment - if any - to hand out.
    The draft bill does not stipulate how the cuts should be made, or give specific reduction targets for individual businesses, councils and households.
    Mr Miliband said there were "big decisions" to be made on issues such as using nuclear power.
    He added: "In the end I don't care where the carbon reduction comes from. It's about the public interest and the market finding it."
    The government plans include:
  • Targets to reduce carbon emissions by 60% by 2050, from 1990 levels, and between 26% and 32% by 2020
  • Greater energy efficiency, with more consumers becoming "producers" of their own energy at home
  • Greater energy efficiency, with more consumers becoming "producers" of their own energy at home
  • Investment in low-carbon fuels and technologies, such as carbon capture and storage, wind, wave and solar power
  • Investment in low-carbon fuels and technologies, such as carbon capture and storage, wind, wave and solar power
  • Carbon "budgets" - which cap emissions levels - set every five years
  • Carbon "budgets" - which cap emissions levels - set every five years
  • The government reporting annually to Parliament on its progress in controlling emissions
  • The government reporting annually to Parliament on its progress in controlling emissions
    • BBC News website environment correspondent Richard Black said the draft bill allowed for offsetting, which would soften the impact on business.
    HAVE YOUR SAY I think these proposals are paying lip service and won't go far enough Anne, Sevenoaks Send us your comments
    But its overall effect on emissions would be limited without a new international agreement to replace the Kyoto protocol, which expires in 2012, he added.
    Under the proposals, an independent body would advise on the setting of carbon budgets.Under the proposals, an independent body would advise on the setting of carbon budgets.
    Future policies to control emissions would also be made "quicker and easier" to introduce.Future policies to control emissions would also be made "quicker and easier" to introduce.
    A full Climate Change Bill is set to be published in the autumn.A full Climate Change Bill is set to be published in the autumn.
    At the weekend, the Conservatives unveiled environmental proposals including VAT or fuel duty on domestic flights.At the weekend, the Conservatives unveiled environmental proposals including VAT or fuel duty on domestic flights.
    But Mr Miliband said more focus was needed on cutting carbon emissions from homes, citing government plans to make all new houses carbon-neutral by 2016 and encourage the use of energy-efficient light bulbs.But Mr Miliband said more focus was needed on cutting carbon emissions from homes, citing government plans to make all new houses carbon-neutral by 2016 and encourage the use of energy-efficient light bulbs.
    We've got to stop having a system whereby targets are set 10 years in advance, ignored up until year eight, and then are quietly dropped in year nine Peter Ainsworth, shadow environment Secretary
    He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "At the moment, domestic buildings account for 25% of the UK emissions.
    "Aviation represents 5%, so aviation is important but it's one fifth as important for this big problem as domestic emissions."
    He dismissed calls for annual carbon reduction targets, saying "changing your policy on the basis of one year's weather isn't a sensible way of doing things".
    He also said that "criminalising aviation won't save the planet".
    Chancellor Gordon Brown said the bill would mean governments would "manage our carbon budgets with the same prudence and discipline" as economic budgets.Chancellor Gordon Brown said the bill would mean governments would "manage our carbon budgets with the same prudence and discipline" as economic budgets.
    Annual targets
    But opposition MPs are reported to be planning to table amendments which would force the government to accept annual targets.But opposition MPs are reported to be planning to table amendments which would force the government to accept annual targets.
    Shadow environment secretary Peter Ainsworth said the proposals would not work without annual targets. The Liberal Democrats broadly support the aims of the bill want closer monitoring of a government's green progress.
    "We've got to stop having a system whereby targets are set 10 years in advance, ignored up until year eight, and then are quietly dropped in year nine." he said. The party's environment spokesman Chris Huhne said: "There is a possibility here that the government wouldn't be really be held to account for what it had do or had failed to do until after it had faced the electorate again and that's not a satisfactory situation."
    Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Chris Huhne said his party was "certainly supporting the bill" but that the 60% target may "not be good enough".
    "We may well need to aim more towards about 80%, but it's a good first start and the framework is broadly right," he told BBC News.