Policy Announcements, Monday 23 April

Government  

• A major new campaign that aims to help individuals cut their personal CO2 emissions has today been backed by Prime Minister Tony Blair and Environment Secretary David Miliband.  The Climate Group's We're In This Together Campaign brings businesses, Government and communities together, and provides practical ideas for how individuals can reduce their CO2 footprint. Steps the Government is taking to help individuals reduce their CO2 footprint include:  A new CO2 calculator - due to be launched later this spring, it will enable individuals to calculate their personal CO2 footprint and provide suggestions for the action they need to take to reduce it. The Climate Group will help trial the calculator. Assistance to help people in fuel poverty insulate their homes and install more energy efficient boilers - 1.3 million households have been helped with this so far. £3 billion in energy improvements for households since 2001 - through the obligation for energy companies to provide efficiency improvements for their customers, including low-energy light bulbs, insulation, and high-efficiency appliances and boilers.  
• London's mayor has launched a new drive to encourage people to walk around the capital, claiming this can improve health, reduce congestion and help tackle climate change. The campaign, run in association with Transport for London (TfL), comes as the mayor announces £126m of investment to improve conditions for pedestrians. Part of the climate change action plan, it will focus on the school run and the commute to work and will urge people to walk rather than take the car on short journeys.  

Conservatives  

• Conservative leader David Cameron is calling for a "revolution in responsibility" to counter a rising tide of anti-social behaviour. He told the BBC Labour's "knee-jerk" reaction to any problem was to bring in new laws which often discouraged people from taking action themselves. Less state intervention will be part of his "manifesto" for a better society.  

Liberal Democrats  

• Only the Welsh Liberal Democrats are committed to a "green revolution", Lembit Opik has said. The party's Welsh leader said on Monday that his party was more committed to protecting the environment than Labour, the Conservatives or Plaid Cymru. Opik pointed to the Lib Dem target for achieving 60 per cent domestic recycling rates over the next four years, saying that exceeded the aims of any of the other parties.