Blair Government Vows to Go Carbon Neutral by 2012

LONDON, UK, June 13, 2006 (ENS) - All UK central government departments and their agencies will be carbon neutral within six years, Environment Secretary David Miliband pledged Monday. This promise to reduce carbon dioxide emissions linked to global warming is part of the government's attempt to "model environmentally sustainable behavior to business and consumers," he said.

Becoming carbon neutral means that government bodies must prevent as much carbon emissions as they produce. Once carbon neutrality is reached, the government has set an additional target to reduce carbon emissions from government offices by 30 percent by the year 2020.

Prime Minister Tony Blair said, "We are taking another important step today when it comes to greening government, by committing to make by 2012 the government office estate carbon neutral and committing to reduce government's total emissions from buildings by 30 percent."

The Cabinet Room at No. 10 Downing St., London where every Government's Cabinet has met since 1856. New sustainability targets apply here as to every government building. (Photo courtesy UK Government)

Blair and Miliband were responding to a report published Monday by the independent Sustainable Procurement Task Force. This business-led group is chaired by Sir Neville Simms and includes senior figures from both private and public sectors.

The task force recommends targets in six areas - carbon dioxide emissions, energy efficiency, waste, recycling, biodiversity and water consumption.

Sir Neville Simms said, "The message from the Task Force is simple: this is worth doing, it is not difficult, it will not cost more in the medium term and the dividends it will bring in the long term are clear.”

Sustainable Procurement Task Force Chairman Sir Neville Simms (Photo courtesy UK Government)

Cabinet Secretary Gus O'Donnell has agreed to ensure that every department within the government responds effectively to the report's recommendations.

The government already has introduced 50 product specifications for sustainable goods and services which are available to government procurers. This will be extended to encourage market innovation and competition among suppliers to bring forward improved buildings, goods and services.

The Treasury Building at 1 Horse Guards Road, London. This and all government buildings are to be carbon neutral by 2012. (Photo courtesy HM Treasury)

The government will work to reduce water consumption by 25 percent by 2020, and to increase energy efficiency by 30 percent per square metre by 2020.

The biodiversity target asks government departments to meet or exceed the aim of having 95 percent of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in sole ownership or control in target condition by 2010. There are more than 4,000 such sites in England, covering around seven percent of the country's land area.

"Making the shift to a more sustainable lifestyle is one of the most important challenges for the 21st century," said Blair. "The reality of climate change brings home to us the consequences of not facing up to these challenges. I want the public sector to take a lead on doing things sustainably - through the way we run central government and through the way we buy goods and services."

Stephen Timms, chief secretary to the Treasury, said, "We need to do more to get over the message that being more sustainable also means better value for money for the taxpayer, and we will be working with public sector organizations to ensure that this happens."