Call for new climate change body

A powerful new Whitehall body must be established to drive climate change policy after a decade of failure by the Government to "rise fully" to the challenge, MPs said.

The Environmental Audit Committee warned the Government's failure to meet self-imposed targets to cut emissions by 20% by 2010 was of concern for greenhouse gas reductions but also the UK's international leadership on the issue.

The committee's Structure of Government and the Challenge of Climate Change report welcomed the draft Climate Change Bill and the creation of the cross-Government Office of Climate Change last year as positive moves.

But it said the frameworks in Government for dealing with climate change were "confused" and did not promote effective action on reducing emissions.

The committee called for a Climate Change and Energy secretariat, based in the Cabinet Office, to lead the Government's climate policy and cut inter-departmental conflict. The MPs also recommended the creation of a cross-departmental climate change minister who could attend Cabinet meetings.

In addition, the committee said the Government must develop long-term policy frameworks to make sure decisions made today did not hinder future emissions reductions or lead to a failure to deal with the impact of climate change.

This was particularly important in light of the Government's house building plans, the committee warned.

The EAC's chairman Tim Yeo said: "The UK must be equipped to meet both the challenge of a carbon constrained world and the likely climate change impacts that will occur. It would be disastrous if bad planning policy meant that today's new developments become tomorrow's climate slums."

He went on: "The Government must ensure there is clear leadership and responsibility for the development and delivery of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies. This is particularly important given the large number of bodies involved."

The committee recommended a review of Government action to clarify the responsibility for developing climate change policy. And the MPs said a skills shortage in the area among civil servants should be addressed.