Miliband contemplates personal carbon trading –

The Green Party has welcomed news that the government is contemplating issuing tradeable personal carbon allowances to the public to combat rising emissions from the domestic sector, but questioned the coherence of their approach to climate change.

"It is good to see the government considering one of the Green Party's cornerstone policies, as a way of tackling climate change.

"Sadly, any moves in this direction are massively undermined by their policies in all other areas such as transport.

"Does the left hand know what the right is doing - Environment Secretary Mr Miliband talks of carbon allowances to reduce emissions whilst his government carries on supporting the greatest growth in the aviation sector seen in a generation? Adopting this policy would conflict so dramatically with all their others - is this just a token gesture?

"Has the government really recognised that left to its own devices 'the market' follows its own interests - ie profit - not those of the planet? We desperately need the right legislative framework to bring down emissions, rather than non binding targets. Regulation should work to control and direct the market to deliver what the world needs - carbon reduction. Decisive environmental and economic leadership is what's needed.

"The Green Party's policy of Domestic Tradable Credits to reduce carbon emissions, where everyone is given a carbon emissions allowance,would massively increase individual responsibility for rising temperatures. Halting global warming will require personal behaviour change, stimulated by initiatives such as this."

"Our proposals would also make it easier for people to understand the notion of carbon frugality, and how to strive for it."