Whitehall set to miss carbon emission targets

20 Mar 08
Two-thirds of government departments are unlikely to meet the target of reducing carbon emissions from offices by 12.5% by 2010, according to a report by the Sustainable Development Commission.

21 March 2008

Two-thirds of government departments are unlikely to meet the target of reducing carbon emissions from offices by 12.5% by 2010, according to a report by the Sustainable Development Commission.

The report, published on March 18, adds that the government 'urgently needs to raise its game'. Vice-chair Rebecca Willis said: 'The government… needs to take radical action to put its own house in order if it is to be in a position to lead by example.'

The report, Sustainable development in government 2007, also says that performance against other targets shows little progress, with procurement standards introduced as 'quick wins' widely going unobserved, despite being mandatory.

There has been little progress in reducing water consumption or sourcing electricity from combined heat and power. In some cases performance worsened between 2006 and 2007, with carbon emissions from road vehicles up across government.

Responding to the report, the government announced a new Centre of Expertise for Sustainable Procurement to help Whitehall departments achieve their targets, set up within the Office of Government Commerce alongside the government's new chief sustainability officer.

Cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell said: 'The civil service must be fully committed to sustainable working, reflecting the increasing priority placed on environmental responsibility for the public we serve.

'There is still a long way to go, but the establishment of the centre marks the culmination of significant progress over the past 12 months.'

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