Benn launches green home service

Environment secretary Hilary Benn has set out a range of new measures to help householders reduce their carbon emissions.

Benn said that everybody needed to act to tackle climate change and that people in a domestic environment must do as much as business and government on the issue.

He used a speech on Wednesday to launch a CO2 advice line, which will give people access to a "one-stop shop" for advice from the Energy Saving Trust on how to reduce their carbon footprint.

Callers will also receive advice on how to reduce waste, save water and adopt greener travel methods.

The government will also be providing more than £100m to the Energy Saving Trust over the next three years as part of a programme to boost green homes.

And up to 100 communities in England will be given a "green makeover", with an aim of cutting their emissions by more than 60 per cent.

"It is because none of us will be immune to dangerous climate change, that we all need to take steps to prevent it happening," Benn said.

"These initiatives will give people the support to do this in their everyday lives.

"This is essential because if we are to stop climate change's worst consequences, changes need to be made in people's kitchens, living rooms and communities, as much as in industry boardrooms, parliamentary debating chambers or around the international negotiating table."

Earlier he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I think we are going to get quite a few calls on the first day, because we have got ads in the papers. I think there will be a lot of demand, but if you can't get through, leave your number and they will call back.

"Surveys we have done show that 97 per cent of people are aware of climate change and 81 per cent of them are concerned about it. The question is 'do we feel we can change it and where do we go to get good advice?'"

Shadow environment secretary Peter Ainsworth said Benn had already announced the scheme.

"We support sensible measures to save energy and money to improve homes, but this is yet another example of a rehashed announcement," he said. 

"People will be more inclined to take advice if the government had not had to bring in its own energy doctor as 15 government departments are now less energy efficient than they were nine years ago."