Government 'must encourage green behaviour'

Report finds government must act to encourage green behaviour

Tuesday, 02, May 2006 12:00

Ministers have to take action to help people live more eco-friendly lives, government advisors warn today.

The sustainable consumption roundtable says that while most consumers are keen to help the environment, they need a push in the right direction that only government can give.

It recommends working with business to replace TVs in shops with sets that use less energy while on stand-by, and replacing the traditional cod in fish and chips with another kind of fish that is not so endangered.

The roundtable, which was set up by the sustainable development commission (SDC) and the national consumer council (NCC), points to the progress made with fair trade coffee, dolphin-friendly tuna and energy efficient fridges as proof that this approach can work.

"Going green can be smart and stylish. But it is not yet simple. We want to call the bluff of politicians, to take action to make the sustainable choice the easier choice," co-chairman Ed Mayo said.

"80 per cent of our environmental impact as consumers comes from just four everyday decisions - how we run our homes, what food we eat, how we get around, and holiday travel. Solutions need to start here."

Co-chairman Alan Knight said bombarding consumers with leaflets and "hoping for the best" was never going to work – they had to be given practical ways of changing their behaviour.

The report also recommends installing meters into every home by 2012 to ensure people know how much energy they are using, and automatically giving passengers the option to offset carbon from their flights abroad to make clear how polluting such travel can be.

Liberal Democrat environment spokesman Chris Huhne welcomed the report, in particular its call for an increase in the top rate of vehicle excise duty for the most polluting cars.

"The roundtable is quite right to state that people need help to make green decisions. That is why it is such a cop-out for Labour and the Tories not to support raising environmental taxes," he said.

"Only the Liberal Democrats support increasing environmental taxation, while allowing other taxes to fall, to gain the changes in personal behaviour needed to halt climate change."