Campaigners say Darling's safe pair of hands have 'dropped the ball on climate change'

IN WHAT was widely trailed as a "green" Budget, Alistair Darling focused on cutting carbon emissions from homes, businesses and transport. But within minutes of delivering his first Budget, Mr Darling came under fire from environmentalists, who claimed he was tinkering in the margins and had "dropped the ball" on climate change.

Describing tackling global warming as "our greatest obligation to future generations", the Chancellor announced fresh targets to make all new non-domestic buildings zero carbon by 2019.

The pledge comes on top of the goal for all homes to have no net carbon emission by 2016, and Mr Darling said it could save 75 million tonnes of carbon dioxide over 30 years. The government is also aiming for all new public-sector buildings to be zero carbon by 2018.

Smart meters will be rolled out to medium and large companies over the next five years to encourage them to save energy, he said. On the domestic front, there will be £26 million for the Green Homes Service next year to help people cut carbon and fuel bills.

The Carbon Emissions Reduction Targets introduced next month will require energy firms to improve efficiency in customers' properties, with cavity-wall insulation for nearly three million homes, along with loft insulation, energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs. On transport, new bands of vehicle excise duty from 2009 will reward drivers of the cleanest cars and a new per-plane tax, from November 2009, will increase by 10 per cent in the second year of operation.

Environmentalists said Mr Darling's decision to delay a 2p rise on fuel duty until October undermined his green credentials. John Sauven, Greenpeace's executive director, said: "Darling's safe pair of hands has dropped the ball on climate change. Tinkering with taxes on planes and cars isn't going to stop runways and roads being built. The Chancellor should have channelled cash into clean technologies, energy-efficiency projects and support for the renewables industry."