UK To Lead World In Cutting Carbon Emissions

The Government will sign up to the "ambitious" target of a 50% cut in carbon emissions by 2025, the Energy Secretary has confirmed.

Chris Huhne told the Commons the Government had accepted the advice of its climate
advisers for the fourth "carbon budget", which runs from 2023 to 2027.

The minister, who is currently at the centre of claims that he persuaded someone else to take speeding penalty points on his behalf , said the decision would be reviewed in 2014.

But Mr Huhne added it sent a clear signal that the Government was serious about driving the transformation to a low carbon economy.

The UK will now pledge to cut emissions by 50% on 1990 levels by 2025, as recommended by the Committee on Climate Change.

This would also put the country on target for 60% cuts by 2030.

The announcement comes despite a Cabinet rift on the issue - a letter leaked last week appeared to show tensions between ministers.

Business Secretary Vince Cable apparently argued for less ambitious reductions in the 2020s because the targets could limit economic growth.

After the letter emerged, a coalition of environmental bodies issued a warning to Prime Minster David Cameron that he risked seriously undermining his pledge to lead the "greenest government ever" if he did not back the targets.

Labour leader Ed Miliband also seized on the evidence of internal disagreement, writing to the PM to tell him that failing to agree would send "a terrible signal" to businesses and the rest of the world.

But over the weekend Mr Cameron was reported to have stepped in to resolve the fraught battle within the Cabinet, with a decision to support the targets.