WWF-UK: Bright green light for sustainable homes in pre-budget report
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Bright green light for sustainable homes in pre-budget report
Wednesday 6 December 2006
WWF's campaign for more sustainable homes has won government support today with the announcement that all new homes will be 'zero carbon' in less than ten years. Stamp duty exemption will also be introduced on sustainable homes, providing home buyers with an incentive to go green.
The announcement in Gordon Brown's pre-budget report follows more than four years of campaigning on the issue by WWF through its One Million Sustainable Homes (OMSH) campaign.
Paul King, Director of Campaigns for WWF, said: "This is a great breakthrough. For the first time Gordon Brown has shown he really backs green housing development. It is also a victory for WWF which has been campaigning for many years to bring green homes from the fringes to the mainstream.
"The introduction of stamp duty exemptions for sustainable homes sends a clear signal to the house building industry and homebuyers that energy efficient homes are a great investment - both in terms of up-front savings and long-term reduced running costs."
Our homes contribute 27 per cent of the UK's carbon dioxide emissions and the construction industry accounts for 85 per cent of timber used on the UK.
WWF has been less impressed with other environmental measures announced by the Chancellor which include doubling air passenger duty in flights and adding 1p a litre to petrol and diesel prices. WWF has renewed its call for a Carbon Budget - ensuring year on year reductions in carbon emissions across all sectors of the economy.
Paul King added: "We urgently need a carbon budget that will highlight the choices and actions needed not only for housing, but road transport, aviation, the power sector and all big carbon emitting sectors. Currently we are busting the budget, and we need to balance the books fast."
WWF is also calling for a greater increase in fuel duty and air passenger duty.
Paul King, Director of Campaigns for WWF, said: "This is a great breakthrough. For the first time Gordon Brown has shown he really backs green housing development. It is also a victory for WWF which has been campaigning for many years to bring green homes from the fringes to the mainstream.
"The introduction of stamp duty exemptions for sustainable homes sends a clear signal to the house building industry and homebuyers that energy efficient homes are a great investment - both in terms of up-front savings and long-term reduced running costs."
Our homes contribute 27 per cent of the UK's carbon dioxide emissions and the construction industry accounts for 85 per cent of timber used on the UK.
WWF has been less impressed with other environmental measures announced by the Chancellor which include doubling air passenger duty in flights and adding 1p a litre to petrol and diesel prices. WWF has renewed its call for a Carbon Budget - ensuring year on year reductions in carbon emissions across all sectors of the economy.
Paul King added: "We urgently need a carbon budget that will highlight the choices and actions needed not only for housing, but road transport, aviation, the power sector and all big carbon emitting sectors. Currently we are busting the budget, and we need to balance the books fast."
WWF is also calling for a greater increase in fuel duty and air passenger duty.
"This is a great breakthrough. For the first time Gordon Brown has shown he really backs green housing development."
Paul King, Director of Campaigns, WWF
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