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A policy and funding framework putting councils centre stage is essential to the UK's efforts to meet statutory climate change targets, the Local Government Group has told Whitehall. In a letter to climate change secretary, Chris Huhne, the group outlined its proposals on how a breakthrough in the relationship between national and local government could play a dominant part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, the proposals, seen by The MJ, stop short of supporting local carbon budgets, which campaigners claim to be the only credible way of achieving a 34% cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Abigail Burridge, a senior policy officer at the LGA, said the main concern with the Government setting local authority caps on area-based emissions was that it was a top-down solution. ‘We want to move away from arbitrary targets and look at how local projects can contribute to national priorities,' she told The MJ. Instead, the group has called for a ‘single, simple source of funding' and ‘real incentives' for the Green Deal and local renewables push, which Mr Huhne has highlighted as a major priority for the coalition. Then, it says, the group could provide support, advice, leadership and accountability to councils, as well as negotiating on behalf of the sector. The offer claimed this would pave the way for councils helping local people and businesses save money through greater energy efficiency. It would identify local opportunities for reducing carbon and determine how they could be delivered, and would support local green initiatives and increase energy generation from renewable and decentralised sources. The offer was a response to the minister's request for proposals outlining how Whitehall and local authorities could work together to achieve climate targets.

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WHITEHALL

LGG in call for local action to reduce CO2

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