UK Chancellor Alistair Darling unveiled a series of ‘green’ initiatives in the UK’s first ever ‘carbon budget’ this week, with £1 billion pounds set aside to encourage alternative and efficient energy use and deliver ‘green jobs’.

The budget promised carbon reductions of 34 per cent by 2020. Darling called the move a "landmark step". The new target is well ahead of the 20% promised at EU level and sets UK targets considerably above those in the US.

Greenpeace dismissed the energy saving initiatives, predicted to save approximately 380,000 tonnes of carbon every year, as “woeful”. "The emissions saved per year represent about two weeks' emissions from Radcliffe-on-Soar coal-powered station” said the environment group's spokesperson.

Lord Turner, chairman of the Climate Change Committee and one of the central figures behind the budget, added “The carbon budgets provide the UK with the most ambitious climate change legislation in the world. We need to start reducing our emissions now, and we need tough policies and strong leadership from government.”

Green-collar jobs

The Governments green collar jobs strategy is a key part of this budget. The Chancellor predicted government spending on environmental initiatives in the fight against climate change would create large numbers of "green-collar jobs". He claimed that there “could be over a million jobs in our environmental industries within the next two decades” providing “huge opportunities” for business.

“These budgets give industry the certainty needed to develop and use low-carbon technology – cutting emissions, creating new businesses and jobs.”

Funding for skills development and training also gone up, with £260 million pounds focused on "sectors with strong future demand" which should benefit those in green industry sectors.

Sam Newell, founder of the renewable energy jobs portal, RenewableEnergyJobs.com (http://www.renewableenergyjobs.com) noted “Investment on this scale is just what we need to develop a UK workforce capable of supporting a low carbon economy.”

Offshore wind

Offshore wind is one of the winners from the carbon budget, Darling adding that United Kingdom needed cleaner energy investment, talking of a new "North Sea energy hub", built around offshore wind and including gas storage and carbon capture.

"The credit squeeze is holding back major offshore wind projects. I want to lift the barriers -- through £525 million pounds of new financial support over the next two years for offshore wind, funded through the renewables obligation. The potential is enormous," he said.

"I am confident that this will lead to major projects getting the go-ahead quickly, providing enough electricity to meet the needs of up to 3 million households."

This is still someway short however, of the £2 billion pounds requested by the wind industry but should be enough to help a number proposed projects that are under threat including the London Array, the world’s biggest.

Paul Golby, CEO of Eon UK, which holds a 30 per cent share in the London Array, added he was “certain” the move “would help transform wind power in the UK.”

Car Scrappage & Green Cars

In an move to boost sales within the struggling automotive industry and encourage us to swap to greener, more efficient vehicles, Darling confirmed that the government will launch a scrappage scheme worth £2,000 per car. The scheme covers the 10 million cars in the UK currently more than 10 years old.

The scheme will start next month and should run until March of next year or until the money runs out, whichever is soonest.

The Chancellor also announced a major reform to vehicle excise duty in 2010 “to encourage manufacturers to produce cleaner cars” new bands will be brought in offering an “incentive to encourage drivers to choose the least polluting car”.

Green buildings

An additional £435 million pounds of extra support will be provided “to deliver energy efficiency measures -- for homes, businesses and public buildings” such as weatherproofing.

The government also announced that from a £500 million pounds package designed to kick-start the building industry it would spend £100 million pounds helping local authorities to build low-carbon homes.

Other Energy Investment

The Chancellor announced plans for a further two carbon capture and storage demonstration plants maintaining an option to build a further two in the future, how these projects will be funded is unclear.

Darling also announced that highly efficient combined heat and power plants are to be exempted from the climate change levy from 2013 which he predicts will bring forward £2.5 billion pounds of private money.

Sam Newell is the founder of RenewableEnergyJobs.com (http://www.renewableenergyjobs.com) the global green job site.

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