Blair promises Whitehall departments carbon emissions cuts
Wed 14 June 2006
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The Prime Minister has promised that all Whitehall departments are to become 'carbon neutral' by 2012. He also has an 'aspirational target' to cut emissions from Government buildings by 30% by 2020.
Mr Blair says that the Government estate will achieve carbon neutrality partly by 'offsetting' emissions through investments designed to remove CO2 emissions elsewhere. The Government claims that the measures will save 800,000 tonnes of carbon - the equivalent to taking 750,000 cars off the road.
Mr Blair said (reported in The Guardian): "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."
The Chairman of the Government's Sustainable Procurement Task Force, Sir Neville Simms, said: "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".
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