Government has failed on combating Climate Change

4.07.49pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 20th Dec 2006

Government buildings are emitting more carbon than ever before, according to research by the Liberal Democrats. Figures released today show that three quarters of government departments have seen their carbon dioxide emissions rise since 2000.

The worst offenders are the Home Office and the Treasury, where emissions per square metre have more than doubled; even Defra, the department which should be leading the fight against climate change, has seen emissions increase over the last few years.

Chris Huhne, Liberal Democrat environment spokesperson said "The Government needs to go green, not brown. The Chancellor likes to talk about climate change, as he did in the pre-budget report, but he is not practising what he preaches. Given all the Chancellor's hot air, it is particularly ironic that the Treasury has seen a big rise in it's own emissions. Yet again Gordon Brown has failed to show the leadership on climate change which is needed."