Government missing environment targets

As the anti-carbon bandwagon rolls on, the government has been criticised for failing to meet its own targets on carbon, as well as waste and water. Environment Secretary David Miliband has conceded that the criticism is valid.Central government office estate was meant to be carbon neutral by 2012 and office carbon emissions were supposed to be cut by 30 per cent by 2020.Only three days after saying that the government has "at last turned a corner" in this area, the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) said in its report Sustainable Development in Government 2006 that the government's performance was "patchy" and "poor".The report said government departments generated more waste than last year and nine departments could not provide proper waste data. On carbon, it said departments are "not on track" to meet the carbon reduction target of 12.5 per cent by 2010; on average, departments have reduced carbon emissions by 0.5 per cent since 1999 but 15 departments have actually increased carbon emissions since 1999. The report also claimed that most departments are using energy less efficiently than eight years ago.As for water, departments failed to meet the target of 7.7m3 of water per person, consuming instead an average of 10.2m3 per person. The Cabinet Office was furthest from the target, consuming 19m3 water per personOn the road, CO2 emissions from transport have gone down by 14 per cent since 2002 but the Department for Transport has increased emissions by roughly 40 per cent over the same period. The main culprits are the Cabinet Office, the DfT, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Law Officers' Department, and the Export Credits Guarantee Department. SDC chair Jonathon Porritt said: "Overall, government performance is simply not good enough. Against a background of non-stop messages on climate change and corporate social responsibility, the government has failed to get its own house in order. It's absolutely inexcusable that government is lagging so far behind the private sector, when it should be leading the way." Environment Secretary David Miliband said of the report's findings that government must not merely set targets, it must also deliver them. Miliband acknowledged progress was slower than he would like and not adequate to meet the increasing pace of change that was needed. He said: "Government is committed to playing its role in tackling climate change and reducing emissions - alongside the actions already being taken by business and individuals. I have asked Gus O'Donnell to take personal charge and we have asked the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit to recommend by the end of April the structures we need to put in place to ensure these targets are delivered."