The British government Wednesday issued a comprehensive plan to move Britain onto a permanent low-carbon footing and to maximize economic opportunities, growth and jobs.
The Low Carbon Transition Plan plots out how Britain will meet the cut in emission set out in the budget of 34 percent on 1990 levels by 2020.
Under the plan, by 2020, more than 1.2 million people will be in green jobs, while 40 percent of electricity will be from low-carbon sources, from renewables, nuclear and clean coal.
Britain's Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said this is a transition plan for Britain, a route-map to 2020, with carbon savings expected across every sector and a carbon budget assigned to every government department alongside its financial budget.
"Our plan will strengthen our energy security, it seeks to be fair to the most vulnerable, it seizes industrial opportunity and it rises to the moral challenge of climate change," he said.
Business Secretary Peter Mandelson said Britain is already the sixth largest economy for low carbon goods and services, globally worth 3 trillion pounds (US$4.8 trillion).
"Today the government is outlining how its support for the economy will ensure our businesses and our workforce continue to lead the way. We must combine the dynamism of the private sector with a strategic role for government to deliver the benefits of innovation, growth and job creation," Mandelson said.
In addition, the British government also issued the Low Carbon Transport, the Low Carbon Transport and the Renewable Energy Strategy.
(Xinhua News Agency July 16, 2009)
