How the Budget will impact on ... the environment

Mar 13 2008 by Cheryl Mullin, Liverpool Daily Post

IN WHAT had been widely trailed as a “green” budget, Alistair Darling focused on cutting carbon emissions from homes, businesses and transport.

But, within minutes of delivering his first Budget, Mr Darling came under fire from environmentalists who claimed he was tinkering in the margins and had dropped the ball on climate change.

Describing tackling global warming as our greatest obligation to future generations, the Chancellor announced new targets to make all new non-domestic building zero-carbon by 2019.

The pledge comes on top of the existing goal for all homes to have no net carbon emission by 2016, and Mr Darling said it could save 75m tonnes of carbon dioxide over the next 30 years.

The Government is also aiming for all new public sector buildings to be zero-carbon by 2018.

Smart meters will also be rolled out to medium and large companies over the next five years.

On the domestic front, there will be £26m for the Green Homes Service next year to help people cut carbon and fuel bills, he said.

On transport, new bands of vehicle excise duty from 2009 will reward the drivers of the cleanest cars and the new per-plane tax  to come into effect in November, 2009  will increase by 10% in the second year of operation, he said.