Climate change targets 'not being met'

The government is being warned that the UK is failing to meet its climate change targets.

A report from the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD) has found that instead of cutting CO2 emissions, Britain has increased them by nine per cent since 1999.

Colour coded ratings, like traffic light signals, are used to show the government's performance on climate change in the report.

Efforts to curb CO2 emissions are given a red light, as are the three main government targets of reducing waste, lowering water consumption, and delivering sustainable development.

All the other tests are given amber warning lights. No green lights were given for any government targets.

And Whitehall departments were criticised in the report for wasting energy and water. The Cabinet Office in Whitehall uses the equivalent of 72 kettles of water per person per day, the report says.

Commission head Sir Jonathon Porritt was set to circulate the report to ministers on Monday, the Independent reported.

The news will come as an embarrassing blow to the prime minister, who made has climate change a top priority for Britain.

And the report comes just a day after the government celebrated the successful completion of an international deal to curb global warming.

Environment secretary Margaret Beckett led the Montreal talks, helping to draw the US back into the negotiations after a late night walk-out.