Denham: Councils key to cutting carbon emissions

Councils could "lead the way" in helping Britain meet its climate change commitments to drive down carbon emissions, Local Government Secretary John Denham will say today.

Mr Denham will call on councils to scale up their green ambitions, saying clear leadership and vision could lead to 40% cuts in emissions within local authorities and unlock £1 billion in extra income.

With budgets totalling £42 billion a year and a combined fleet of 50,000 vehicles, councils' decisions could help to "shape the national market" and give business greater confidence in investing in innovative green technology, he will say.

In a speech to a climate change conference in London, Mr Denham will say he wants to "radically enhance" councils' role in meeting Britain's 2050 target of an 80% cut in greenhouse gases by giving them greater autonomy and powers to drive low-carbon living.

And he recalled the example of 19th-century metropolitan grandees like Joseph Chamberlain in Birmingham, who transformed their cities with visionary investment in utilities and transport.

"We need the same scale of ambition, drive and initiative again today if we are to effectively respond to climate change," Mr Denham will say.

"The challenge of tackling climate change presents local authorities with an opportunity to take centre stage and lead the way in not only finding solutions for their own local area and delivering for their local residents but in helping the nation meet its commitments to driving down carbon emissions."