Archived press release

Livingstone's Green Homes Initiative welcomed

4 December 2007

Mayor Livingstone's new initiative to improve the energy efficiency of London homes, launched today, is being welcomed by Friends of the Earth. The environmental group revealed new research last week which showed that it is possible to reduce the carbon emissions produced by UK homes by 80 per cent, saving householders as much as £475 a year.

Friends of the Earth's Green Homes campaigner, Dave Timms, said:

"The Mayor last year set out a groundbreaking strategy to slash the contribution to climate change made by London's homes. It recognised that it must be cheaper and easier for people to cut their carbon emissions. That strategy is now becoming a reality. Many Londoners are keen to do their bit to tackle climate change and cut their energy bills but their efforts are frustrated by lack of advice and a maze of schemes and contractors. The Mayor's green homes service is exactly what we need to take the hassle out of going green.

The climate change strategy for London's homes set out by the Mayor is ambitious but its impact is limited by lack of powers and funding. [Or: The Mayor's ability to have an impact on London's homes is limited by lack of powers and funding]. The Government must play its part with a comprehensive package of tax breaks and grants for energy efficiency, and a guarantee that homeowners will get a premium payment for electricity they generate when they install renewable energy technologies such as solar panels.

The Home Truths report was published by the University of Oxford's Environmental Change Institute and was commissioned by Friends of the Earth and The Co-operative Bank as part of The Big Ask Campaign.

www.foe.co.uk/resource/press_releases/ ¬
emissions_from_uk_homes_co_27112007.html

Home Truths argues that the Labour Government has not done enough to end fuel poverty and reduce the energy wasted by British homes. It proposes a transformation of the energy market to make it easier and cheaper for householders to save energy and generate green energy.

The average household could see their energy bills cut by at least 66 per cent, equivalent to a £475 annual saving at today's prices. By 2050 UK wide savings could be worth £12.3 billion a year [1].

This approach would also cut carbon emissions from UK homes by 80 per cent by 2050 [2]. UK homes currently account for 27 per cent of the UK's carbon footprint. It would also ensure four million households in the UK, who can't afford to heat their homes, have a warm and healthy home to live in.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust