Household carbon footprint gets much worse in South Cambridgeshire (South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats)

South East Cambridgeshire Liberal Democrats <info@secambslibdems.org.uk>

Household carbon footprint gets much worse in South Cambridgeshire

March 20, 2009 7:22 PM

Latest Government statistics show the amount of carbon dioxide produced by domestic buildings in South Cambridgeshire has significantly worsened say Liberal Democrats.

Tables published by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs show that households in South Cambridgeshire continue to produce the highest levels of the green house gas compared to their neighbours including Cambridge City .

South Cambridgeshire District Council has a duty to give assist to householders to reduce their carbon emissions, but the Lib Dems say the figure of 2.82 tonnes of domestic carbon dioxide per person is higher than neighbouring district councils and has grown by over 6%.

Jonathan Chatfield the Liberal Democrats' parliamentary spokesperson for South Cambridgeshire and a South Cambs councillor said:

"It is clear from the latest figures that South Cambs council's efforts to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced by local residents are lamentable.

"Lib Dems are critical of the Conservative administration's commitment to doing its bit to help reduce carbon emissions and its encouragement to help residents improve their carbon footprint.

"Lib Dems would scrap the recent VAT cut and use the £12.5 billion to put Britain on a green road out of the recession. A huge employment programme that will leave a lasting green legacy that will see every school and hospital insulated, fund insulation and energy efficiency for a million homes, build 40,000 extra zero-carbon homes for social housing and install energy and money saving smart meters in every home.

"It comes as no surprise given that a survey of Conservative MPs showed a significant number refusing to accept that human activity is contributing to climate change and that the majority see it as no business of local government."