Take it from the top

The climate change bill, a ‘world first’, commits UK governments to driving CO2 emissions down 60% by 2050. Targets will be set 15 years in advance for successive five-year ‘carbon budgets’. Missing them will be illegal, though the sanctions aren’t made specific. Ministers must account to parliament for progress, based on an independent annual report.

Brown’s last budget sets green taxation on a (slightly) upward path, but fails to beat the low carbon drum for all it’s worth. Car tax goes down a bit for the less polluting vehicles, up for the worst - to £400 next year. Road fuel tax rises 2p a litre, but not just yet. Zero carbon homes get exemption from stamp duty, up to £500,000. And landfill tax goes up…

An EU emissions target for 2020 is agreed in principle, cutting overall greenhouse gas output by at least 20%. Some members will do more, some less. And the EU will aim for 30% if other developed countries do so too - which is wishy-washy ‘world leadership’ at best. There’s also a commitment to get 20% of EU energy from renewables by 2020.

2 May 2007