I'm greener than you! Brown and Cameron go head-to-head over climate change

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Gordon Brown has set out his green vision

Cameron has accused Brown of a 'greenwash'

Gordon Brown took on David Cameron in the fight to win the green vote last night, claiming he could tackle climate change and cut the average energy bill by £230 a year.

The Chancellor said incentives - not penalties - were the only way to encourage people to live more environmentally friendly lifestyles.

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In an attempt to draw battle lines for the next election, he went out of his way to contrast his stance with the Tory leader's proposal to tax air travel more heavily.

But Mr Cameron promptly accused Mr Brown of 'recycling' old announcements - and said Tory plans for levies on polluters would help fund broader tax cuts for families.

Mr Brown claimed proper insulation, energy-efficient lightbulbs and an agreement from manufacturers to phase out wasteful 'standby' functions on electronic devices would save the average household £230 a year and reduce carbon emissions by six million tonnes.

He told a meeting of green groups and business leaders that all eight million homes still lacking proper insulation would be modernised within the next decade.

Mr Brown claimed insulating a home properly could save an average of £160 off a household energy bill, as well as cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

He said he was extending an existing programme to help low-income families and pensioners get help with loft and cavity wall insulation and central heating.

Under the so-called 'Warm Front' scheme, benefit recipients or those on pension credits can apply for taxpayer-funded grants of between £2,700 and £4,000.

A separate scheme requires utility companies to consider requests for help with the cost of insulation. They have Mr Blair and Environment Secretary David Miliband, will propose a 60 per cent cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

Parliament will get an annual report on progress.

But the Tories poured scorn on the Chancellor's announcements, saying he first revealed plans to insulate homes while still in Opposition and pointing out that the EU agreed last week to phase out highenergy lightbulbs more quickly.

Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said: 'The only thing that's green about Gordon Brown is his recycled policies. He first started announcing insulation schemes 12 years ago to the day, he told us twice in the last year he wanted an end to TV standby buttons, and his lightbulb plan is less ambitious than the one launched by the EU last Friday.

'The crucial point is this: In total he claims his measures will save six million tonnes of carbon a year - but the 20 per cent reduction target Britain has just signed up to requires a cut of 30million tonnes a year.

'So even if he delivers, where's the other 24million coming from? After ten years in office and ten years of rising UK carbon emissions he doesn't have the courage to take the tough, difficult decisions necessary to combat climate change.'

Mr Cameron, meanwhile, defended Tory proposals for a 'green air miles allowance' which would allow travellers as little as one short-haul flight a year at the standard rate of tax before higher rates kick in.

A consultation paper published by the party also suggested imposing fuel duty or VAT on domestic flights for the first time. A new 'perflight' tax would see aircraft which are less fuel efficient, or which fly half-empty, taxed more heavily.

Mr Cameron said Mr Brown was giving green taxes a 'bad name' - highlighting his decision to double air passenger duty last year.

People were right to think the Chancellor was only interested in 'putting his hand in my wallet and taking out my money', he claimed.

Mr Cameron said voters would support taxes on pollution as long as they were balanced with tax cuts for families.

cost of insulation. They have handed over an estimated £500million since 2002.

The Chancellor - favourite to succeed Tony Blair as Prime Minister - outlined plans to phase out wasteful high-energy lightbulbs by 2011.

And he said the planning system should be overhauled to speed up approval for wind farms and environmentally- friendly waste disposal facilities.

He will also write to EU finance ministers to urge them to lift a Continent-wide ban on reduced rates of VAT for green products.

He will also write to EU finance ministers to urge them to lift a Continent-wide ban on reduced rates of VAT for green products.

A draft Climate Change Bill, to be unveiled today by the Chancellor, Mr Blair and Environment Secretary David Miliband, will propose a 60 per cent cut in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

Parliament will get an annual report on progress.

But the Tories poured scorn on the Chancellor's announcements, saying he first revealed plans to insulate homes while still in Opposition and pointing out that the EU agreed last week to phase out highenergy lightbulbs more quickly.

Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said: 'The only thing that's green about Gordon Brown is his recycled policies.

'He first started announcing insulation schemes 12 years ago to the day, he told us twice in the last year he wanted an end to TV standby buttons, and his lightbulb plan is less ambitious than the one launched by the EU last Friday.

'The crucial point is this: In total he claims his measures will save six million tonnes of carbon a year - but the 20 per cent reduction target Britain has just signed up to requires a cut of 30million tonnes a year.

'So even if he delivers, where's the other 24million coming from? After ten years in office and ten years of rising UK carbon emissions he doesn't have the courage to take the tough, difficult decisions necessary to combat climate change.' Mr Cameron, meanwhile, defended Tory proposals for a 'green air miles allowance' which would allow travellers as little as one short-haul flight a year at the standard rate of tax before higher rates kick in.

A consultation paper published by the party also suggested imposing fuel duty or VAT on domestic flights for the first time.

A new 'per-flight' tax would see aircraft which are less fuel efficient, or which fly half-empty, taxed more heavily.

Mr Cameron said Mr Brown was giving green taxes a 'bad name' - highlighting his decision to double air passenger duty last year.

People were right to think the Chancellor was only interested in 'putting his hand in my wallet and taking out my money', he claimed.

Mr Cameron said voters would support taxed on pollution as long as they were balanced with tax cuts for families.

Who's promising what

GORDON BROWN

• Cutting emissions by 60 per cent by 2050 • Incentives to insulate 8million homes and boost number with solar water heaters, wind turbines and ground source heat pumps • Phasing out high-energy lightbulbs by 2011 • Creating a 'global carbon market' in which countries trade permits to emit greenhouse gases

• Phasing out standby function on TVs and DVD players

DAVID CAMERON

• Stricter limits on emissions every year until 2050 ensuring reduction of at least 60 per cent • Green air miles for flyers, air passenger duty replaced with 'per flight' tax based on carbon emissions, levy on air fuel • Carbon emissions from all new cars reduced to 100g/km by 2020 • Climate change tax on energy use replaced with carbon levy penalising worst polluters • Building regulations to ensure new homes are 'carbon neutral' and tax breaks for renewable energy

 

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