The government has unveiled its revised sustainable development strategy, putting the emphasis on encouraging local action.

An expanded role will be given to the independent Sustainable Development Commission, chaired by environmentalist Jonathon Porritt, as a watchdog on the performance of government in delivering green solutions for economic growth.

There will be greater investment in renewable energy supplies to compensate for increased carbon emissions as a result of growth in air travel.

And more support, information, and training will be given to local authorities and communities as they seek to take individual action at ground level.

Government Response: DEFRA

Margaret Beckett, the environment secretary, said: "One thing we have learnt over recent years is that the environment and the changes that matter most to people are often those in their own locality, especially if they themselves have got a chance, a voice, a say in what is happening in their area.

"Sustainable development is vital to building a decent future for everyone. The government is leading by example but the strategy can't be delivered by the government alone.

"The government wants to ensure everyone has the opportunity to get involved - for local or global benefit."

Party response: Conservatives

Shadow environment secretary Tim Yeo said: "The last Conservative government initiated the first UK sustainable development strategy in 1994, and achieved a 7.3 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions up to 1997.

"The government launched its first sustainable development strategy in 1999, and yet carbon dioxide emissions have gone up, renewable energy stands at less than three per cent and key energy efficiency targets have been dropped. The greenest fuels and cars still have less than 0.2 per cent of their respective markets and aviation emissions have continued to rise unchecked.

"This Labour government is failing to provide leadership. For example, the Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise and the Home Office have 5,836 vehicles, yet just 183 of them (three per cent) use alternative power.

"This Labour government is knocking down thousands of houses in one part of the country while covering green fields elsewhere with new houses.

"Why should the British people have any confidence in this Government’s ability to deliver on the most important global issue of climate change?

"As always, this is all talk and no proof of action."

Party Response: Liberal Democrats

Norman Baker MP, Lib Dem environment spokesman said: "The publication of the governments revised sustainable development strategy Securing the Future really does feel like Groundhog Day. There is simply little new with its guiding principles and priorities for action on climate change, natural resource protection and environmental enhancement. They may be correct, but we really have heard it all before, time and time again. If the environment is really that important then why is it that this year, the Labour government actually decided to raise the UK ceiling for emissions of the greenhouse gases that are causing climate change, and that the environment does not even feature on Labour’s ‘pledge card’ for the General Election widely expected in May.

"As Charles Secrett, former head of Friends of the Earth, said last November, the Prime Minister is "all talk and no action … Blair thinks he can get away with boosting his green credentials by making a big speech every year on climate change … It's always about the grand scenario and when it comes to putting his own house in order, it is always business as usual." The government has implicitly abandoned its target of a 20 per cent reduction of CO2 by 2010. This is now merely an ‘aspiration’ and carbon dioxide emission levels have actually risen since 1997. Their record on delivering their previous strategy has simply failed, a consequence in large part of their lack of joined up Government. Since 1997 levels of municipal waste are up by 19%, energy consumption is up nearly seven per cent, carbon dioxide emissions from power stations are up nine per cent, generation from renewable sources has stalled at around three per cent, carbon emissions from aviation are up 23 per cent and predicted to rise by a further 83 per cent by 2020, and road traffic volumes are up eight per cent and forecast to grow by as much as 25 per cent by 2010.

"Looking ahead we can see, such as with the predicted future increases in traffic and emissions from aircraft and John Prescott's so-called sustainable communities, that things arent set to get any better, they’ll only get worse. The country needs a policy that will put the environment centre stage, that will face up to the difficult decisions that are necessary to deal with climate change and will meet the challenge of action and put a green backbone into government. Unfortunately this strategy makes some of the right noises on identifying the problem, but offers little by way of promising to deliver. "

Stakeholder Response: Woodland Trust

Dr James Cooper of the Woodland Trust said: "We welcome the publication of both the UK framework for sustainable development and the revised sustainable development strategy 'Securing the Future'.

"The guiding principle of 'living within environmental limits' and shared priorities for action that include climate change, natural resource protection and environmental enhancement are especially welcome and we are pleased that they are afforded the prominence they deserve.

"Now that the revised strategy is in place however, it is crucial that joined up action across the UK and across government genuinely takes place.

"Delivery of the previous strategy a better quality of life, was hampered by lack of joined up government. A good example being that it was only this year that responsibility for the PSA target on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions came to be shared between DEFRA and the Department of Transport.

"The challenge of climate change which has been described by the government's own chief scientific advisor as a bigger threat than international terrorism will require strong leadership from Number 10 and the full buy-in of the Treasury if it is to be effectively tackled and this means adapting to the fact that it is already with us with all the opportunities for delivery of wider benefits this brings, as well as seeking to mitigate its worst effects.

"The enhanced emphasis on monitoring progress is welcome, though the reduced number of indicators means that there is now enhanced pressure upon the government to ensure both that it delivers upon them and that accurate reporting takes place.

"Indicators on protection of biodiversity, local environmental quality, environmental equality and well being will be key in measuring how government action lives up to the aspirations.

"Just as with the previous suite of indicators, the ability of woodland to deliver upon the revised set is striking, serving to underline its remarkable ability to deliver upon the economic, social and environmental strands of sustainable development simultaneously.

"In particular woodland is able to deliver upon the prime minister's desire which he stated once again at the launch to reinvigorate Local Agenda 21 and to help people make sense at a local level of the challenge that we face."