Hundreds of local councils across the UK are ignoring the threat of climate change and taking no action to address the rising carbon emissions of their residents, a Guardian survey suggests.
Only a handful of councils polled said they were taking significant steps to tackle greenhouse gas pollution, with half admitting they had no plans to encourage more environmentally friendly behaviour.
The survey results come just weeks after Ian Pearson, climate change minister, claimed local authorities were at the forefront of the country's efforts to combat climate change. Launching new figures in November which showed emissions from households were higher than from the industrial, commercial and public sectors in about a third of local authorities, Mr Pearson said: "Everyone has a role to play in fighting climate change and reducing emissions. As estate managers, service providers and community leaders, local authorities are at the forefront of the fight to reduce carbon emissions. They have the power to make a great difference."
The survey does show that the backlash against gas-guzzling cars has reached the spiritual home of 4x4 "Chelsea tractors". The London borough of Kensington and Chelsea says it is planning regulations that would force drivers of the most polluting cars to pay more for residential parking permits, with those owning more fuel efficient vehicles given a discount. Camden in north London is considering similar action. It follows the move by Richmond council in south-west London to penalise behaviour that damages the environment when it announced that it would charge the drivers of gas-guzzling cars up to £450 a year to park outside their houses.
The Guardian contacted all 442 local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland to ask whether they had any schemes planned to change household behaviour, either through incentives or penalties. Of 64 local authorities that responded, 30 said they had no plans to tackle emissions. A further 26 said they had introduced only limited incentives to encourage green behaviour, most of which are aimed at meeting government recycling targets. Only six local authorities said they were taking significant steps to curb household emissions.
The survey comes as scientists prepare to issue the starkest warning yet that mankind is running out of time to address the threat of climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will issue a report in February that will leave little room for doubt that human emissions are rapidly increasing global temperatures.
A spokesman for Eden district council in Cumbria said: "As a district council we only have limited resources we can put into climate change. We're doing some minor things but we don't have an overall policy, no." He said the council would develop an action plan in 2007.
Some councils have bucked the trend. Five authorities in north-east England have jointly pledged to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 1.25% each year to 2010. Woking in Surrey has reduced carbon dioxide emissions from its council buildings and shopping centre by 77% in the last 15 years by constructing a series of mini power stations.