17.05.12
Statutory mandate recommended for carbon targets
UK carbon targets are ‘at risk’ over local authority funding cuts, the Committee on Climate Change has said. The committee has published a new report which calls for national funding and a statutory duty for councils to develop and implement plans to cut emissions.
This could include improving energy efficiency, public transport, developing advanced recycling programmes and giving planning permission to local renewable energy projects. Additionally, better town planning to ensure services are located near to housing could reduce care journeys.
Generating energy from waste is another recommendation, and increased use of district heating schemes could help theUKto meet its emissions targets.
Professor Julia King, a member of the committee, told the Guardian: “Local authorities have the potential to significantly impact theUK’s scale and speed of emissions reductions. There is a wealth of good work being done already at local and regional levels, but many opportunities remain untapped. It is essential that these opportunities are delivered if we are to meet our national carbon targets.
“Local authorities need to show leadership and recognise their wider role in supporting local emissions reductions, [but] the Government needs to strengthen incentives for action by providing national funding where required.”
To view the full report, visit
http://hmccc.s3.amazonaws.com/Local%20Authorites/1584_CCC_LA%20Report_bookmarked_1b.pdf
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