Clean Growth Strategy: Government unveils plan to cut carbon emissions and boost economy

  • Video report by ITV News science correspondent Alok Jha

The Government has set out its plans to cut carbon emissions and boost the economy.

Its long-awaited Clean Growth Strategy includes measures for housing, businesses, transport, agriculture and the power sector.

It also aims to make the UK a "world leader" in green finance.

More than a million homes will get energy saving upgrades to make them warmer and cheaper to heat through the "energy company obligation" paid for through consumer bills.

New boiler standards will also be improved, and offshore wind power projects will be supported.

Ministers want all fuel-poor homes to be upgraded to at least a "C" energy performance level by 2030.

Improving the energy efficiency of homes could save an average £270 a year on household bills, they said.

Over a million homes will receive upgrades to make them more energy efficient. Credit: PA

The Government also announced up to £577 million for new renewables projects and support for action to roll out a huge 10 gigawatts of offshore wind power in the 2020s.

It has also earmarked £1 billion to support the take-up of electric cars, developing an electric vehicle charging network.

A further £841 million will be spend on innovation in low-carbon transport and fuels.

There are plans to develop an electric vehicle charging network Credit: PA

There are also plans to establish a new network of forests in England and fund larger-scale woodland and forest creation.

The Government has committed to plant 11 million trees, and increase the amount of UK timber used in construction.

Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said: "This Government has put clean growth at the heart of its Industrial Strategy to increase productivity, boost people's earning power and ensure Britain continues to lead the world in efforts to tackle climate change.

There are plans for a new network of forests. Credit: PA

"The world is moving from being powered by polluting fossil fuels to clean energy. It's as big a change as the move from the age of steam to the age of oil and Britain is showing the way."

In the summer, the Government's advisory Committee on Climate Change warned "urgent" plans were needed as the move to a low-carbon economy was under threat by a lack of action by ministers.

Environmental law firm ClientEarth has warned of possible legal action if the strategy does not show how the targets will be met, which would mean the Government continued to be in breach of the UK's climate laws.