13 Apr 2010 09:04:10

Labour outlines green plans

Labour has outlined its green pledges in its 2010 election manifesto, including a commitment to generate 40 percent of the UK's electricity from low-carbon sources by 2020.

The party said it wanted to make greener living easier and fairer through schemes such as pay-as-you-save home energy insulation, discounts in energy bills for pensioners and requirements for landlords to insulate rented homes.

It also outlined plans to introduce smart meters in all homes by 2020, bring in recycling-on-the-go schemes with separate public bins in streets and shopping centres and ban recyclable and biodegradable materials from landfill.

In addition, the party said it would sustain the Green Belt and ensure that 60 percent of new development is sited on brownfield land, while also extending the Right to Roam to the whole English coastline.

The publication of the manifesto comes after the government introduced new feed-in tariffs for individuals and businesses generating their own low-carbon electricity.

http://www2.labour.org.uk/manifesto-splash