Local green initiative wont tackle climate change

3 Apr 08
A green neighbourhoods initiative launched by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has been criticised as a 'piecemeal' attempt to tackle climate change from a department with little clout.

04 April 2008

A green neighbourhoods initiative launched by Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has been criticised as a 'piecemeal' attempt to tackle climate change from a department with little clout.

Benn announced the initiative — to help 100 neighbourhoods reduce their carbon footprints by 60% — on April 2. The launch coincided with publication of a Commons committee report warning that government housing policy risks neglecting the environmental impact of existing homes.

Measures to make future homes greener, such as the development of new eco-towns, did not go far enough, the Commons communities and local government select committee warned.

Committee chair Phyllis Starkey said: 'The government's understandable desire to build improvements into future housing has led it to give insufficient priority to action on the vast bulk of the housing stock.'

Benn said the green neighbourhoods initiative would encourage alliances of residents, community groups, councils, energy suppliers and businesses to make their local area environmentally friendly. The consortiums must commit their own resources but will also be able to bid for funds from a £10m pot.

The environment secretary, who was accompanied by Prime Minister Gordon Brown, also launched an 'Action on CO2' advice line, the first stage of a £100m programme announced last year that will include the setting up of a network of advice centres.

'If we are to stop climate change's worst consequences, changes need to be made in people's kitchens, living rooms and communities, as much as in industry boardrooms, parliamentary debating chambers or around the international negotiating table,' Benn said.

But Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Steve Webb said: 'We are not going to make any progress in the fight against climate change if we have to rely on piecemeal initiatives from a department that has no money and no power.'

'While Hilary Benn might want us to be more energy efficient, the Department for Business is supporting a new generation of coal-fired power stations. He wants us to cut our transport emissions but the Department for Transport is backing a new runway at Heathrow.'

Friends of the Earth low-carbon homes campaigner Dave Timms said: 'We must move beyond a penny-pinching, piecemeal approach to homes. The time for part-funded pilot projects is over.'

The government had slashed £100m a year from its 'Warm Front' scheme, which helps poorer families fund energy-saving measures, he added.

 

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