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Departments that fail to cut emissions will have their funding cut under a Conservative government, George Osborne has announced.
In a speech at Imperial College London, the shadow chancellor said departments would be obliged to make 10 per cent emissions cuts within a year, and those that did not would be punished by the Treasury.
The Conservatives believe the move could save £300m in bills annually.
“Departments will have to report to the Treasury on their energy consumption and emissions,” Osborne said. “And let me make it clear: if any department does not cut their energy use, we will simply give them less money to spend on energy.”
He said the Tories would also require more online publication of government activities towards sustainability. “We will introduce the most radical energy transparency policy ever introduced by a national government, and publish online the real-time energy consumption of every building in Whitehall.”
“That way, the public can hold ministers and civil servants to account for their performance against the 10 per cent target.”
Osborne also said the Treasury would have to become more “engaged” in climate change policy than it has been up to now.
“Quite frankly, when it comes to environmental policy, the Treasury has often been at best indifferent, and at worst obstructive,” he said. “That attitude is going to change if the government changes.”
“I want a Conservative Treasury to be in the lead of developing the low-carbon economy and financing a green recovery.”
But climate-change secretary Ed Miliband attacked the Tory plans, saying they involved “no new money”.
"The truth is that the Tories have opposed Labour's extra public investment, including the £400m allocated at the time of the budget for new green industries. So why should anyone believe a piece of greenwash from George Osborne?"
Also today, the shadow chancellor announced that householders could be paid to recycle and a “green” government bank would encourage sustainable investment.
Osborne’s announcements were part of a wider series of speeches on climate change being given this week by shadow cabinet members.
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