Don't cut funding for green technology, Ministers urged

The Committee on Climate Change said any reduction in the estimated 550m a year for green technology would make it more likely the UK misses its targets to cut carbon emissions and loses out on opportunities to create green jobs and industries.

The Government's advisers on climate change also urged Ministers to increase funding over the next decade – once financial pressures have eased – for specific technologies such as marine energy and electric vehicles and for low-carbon innovation generally.

The advice comes days after the Department of Energy and Climate Change announced cuts of 34m to funding for low-carbon technology, as part of efforts to shave 6.2 billion off Government spending.

Environmental campaigners yesterday said the committee's recommendations should "sound alarm bells all over Government" about the dangers of cutting public funding for green technology.

The Climate Change Committee's report said developing areas, such as offshore wind and wave power and greener aviation, would help achieve the UK's legally binding target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by the year 2050.

The independent body, set up to advise on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, said developing low-carbon technologies in this country would boost the economy in the long term.

It warned that without Government support, a range of essential low-carbon technologies were likely to get stuck in a "valley of death" where development was stalled and failed to make it to market.

The technologies were "vital" in generating cleaner forms of electricity, which could then be used to fuel electric vehicles and heating and in creating energy efficient buildings, it said.

The UK's current spend on research, development and demonstration of low-carbon technology should be regarded as a minimum, the report said, and warned that funding for energy lagged behind other developed countries.

The UK should focus on offshore wind and marine energy; technology to capture and store carbon from coal and gas power plants; smart grids and meters, electric vehicles and greener aviation.

It should deploy nuclear power, and find more advanced ways of insulating buildings, as well as developing carbon capture and storage for heavy industry.

There should be investment in research and development of vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells, electricity storage and more advanced solar panels and biofuels.