Website of the UK government

Home and housing

• working with manufacturers and retailers to phase out inefficient light bulbs
• providing better information to consumers about the products and services they buy and use – including gas, electricity and water
• working with manufacturers to remove inefficient ‘white goods’ - such as fridges - from the market
• encouraging developers to build in good access to public transport when they are planning new homes
• improving building regulations to make new homes more energy efficient
• introducing Energy Performance Certificates so that when you buy a house you have more information about how energy efficient it is
• allowing some householders to fit some renewable technologies such as solar panels without the need for planning permission

Travel and transport

• providing more train carriages where they are most needed
• improving vehicle fuel efficiency - for example by linking car tax rates to car fuel efficiency
• encouraging and supporting workplace or school travel plans and cycle training for children

Community, business and environment

• increasing recycling facilities at the kerbside, in the office and in public places
• working with the regulator to set targets for water companies to reduce leakage from their networks
• reducing packaging and encouraging consumers to re-use shopping bags

What the government is doing itself

The government has set many targets for itself - including reducing carbon emissions from its offices by 30 per cent by 2020. Other targets include recycling 75 per cent of its waste and reducing water use by 25 per cent by 2020.

The government is also taking steps to reduce its travel-related emissions, such as driving and flying. You can find out more on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) website.

• What the government is doing about its own emissions - including carbon offsetting Opens new window

Find out more

• Environment and greener living homepage