Saving more than £3 billion a year on energy costs and lower domestic fuel bills are part of the battle to deal with climate change, the Government announced yesterday. Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett set out how Ministers aim to cut harmful carbon dioxide emissions by an extra 12 million tonnes over the next six years. The Government said its strategy for combined heat and power to 2010 demonstrated its support for energy efficient technology. Mrs Beckett said: "The energy white paper set out our vision to deliver the four goals of energy policy: a 60 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2050, reliable energy supplies, promotion of competitive energy markets and ensuring homes are affordably heated. Today we are setting out how we will deliver these goals. "The Government aims to deliver a step-change in energy efficiency on a scale not achieved before in the UK and to do this in the face of increasing demand for energy. "Promoting demand for energy efficient products and services is a priority." The Environment Secretary said she expected measures set out in the Government's action plan to deliver more than 12 million tonnes of carbon savings by 2010. There will be changes to building regulations which will raise standards of new and refurbished buildings in 2005, while industry will be offered incentives to reduce emissions in the most cost-effective way. A Decent Homes programme will continue to improve energy standards in social housing, while fuel poverty programmes tackle heating and insulation standards in the homes of those least able to afford to keep warm. Director of Friends of the Earth Tony Juniper said: "Despite all the positive announcements, the Government is still not doing enough to combat climate change. Carbon dioxide emissions have risen this year and unless the Government takes urgent action across all sectors of Government it will fail to meet its carbon dioxide reduction targets. "It is essential we achieve our national targets, not least because of the desperate need for credible international leadership. Words are one thing, meaningful reductions in pollution quite another." Head of natural resources at the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Paul Hamblin, said: "Tackling the consumption of energy is the most sustainable and effective method to tackle climate change. "This does not require and must not lead to the desecration of wild and beautiful landscapes. "The challenge is to buck the trend of increasing energy use and encourage a broad range of renewables in the right locations." | 
