Britain will become the first country in the world to introduce legally binding targets to reduce carbon emissions in a bill announced in the Queen's speech today. The climate change bill would create a long-term legal framework to reduce the UK's C02 emissions up until 2050. "My government is committed to protecting the environment and to tackling climate change, both at home and abroad," the Queen said. "A bill will be brought forward to make the United Kingdom the first country in the world to introduce a legally binding framework to reduce carbon dioxide emissions."

The bill would enforce reductions of greenhouse gas emissions of at least 60% by 2050 and 26-32% by 2020, and introduce a new system of five-year carbon budgets. It would also establish a new independent committee on climate change, which would advise the government on achieving the 2050 target and set out a sustainable programme of adaption.

The government said the bill would increase confidence and certainty for business planning and the investment in technology needed to move towards a low-carbon economy. It would "create a new approach to managing and responding to climate change in the UK through setting ambitious targets, taking powers to help achieve them, strengthening the institutional framework, and establishing clear and regular accountability to parliament".

The introduction of the bill would enhance the operation of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO), which is expected to deliver significant carbon savings from the road transport sector by increasing the use of bio fuels, the government said. It would also provide a power to pilot local authority incentives for household waste minimisation and recycling, and "provide a strong, sustainable framework for adapting to the impacts of climate change in the UK".

Environmental groups welcomed the introduction of the legislation but urged the government to go even further and look to make cuts of 80% by 2050. Friends of the Earth director, Tony Juniper, said: "We're delighted that the UK is set to become the first nation to introduce legislation to cut its contribution to climate change. But the government must strengthen its proposed legislation if it is to be truly effective and deliver the scale of action that scientists are now calling for."

He called for yearly targets for cuts which would deliver at least an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050, and include Britain's share of emissions from international aviation and shipping. "If Gordon Brown toughens up this legislation, his visions of becoming a world leader in developing a low-carbon future can become a reality." The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), which is a member of Stop Climate Chaos coalition, said that although this legislation would allow the government to set "meaningful and measurable targets", ministers should be bolder.

"Gordon Brown's announcement that the climate change committee will be asked to examine the case for an 80% cut in UK emissions by 2050 is a good start," a spokesman said. "We support the calls of a wide coalition of environmental NGOs for the climate change bill to include the UK's share of emissions from international aviation and shipping in its targets for emission reductions, and to set annual targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, rather than five year 'carbon budgets' as currently proposed."

The Green party's principal speaker, Caroline Lucas, said: "It's criminally irresponsible to adopt a target that not only flies in the face of science, but also undermines the UK's commitment to making a fair contribution to limiting average global temperature increases to no more than two degrees - scientists say anything higher will have catastrophic consequences.

"Whilst I welcome proposals to create a legal framework to reduce the UK's carbon dioxide emissions, low level targets that we are not likely to meet do not constitute radical action on climate change." Colin Butfield, the head of campaigns at WWF UK, said: "The government now has an opportunity to prove its commitment to fighting climate change by setting more ambitious targets in the climate change bill. It is vital that the UK follows the lead of the Scottish government and commits to reducing emissions by at least 80% by 2050.

"All the science - including the government's own assessments - tell us that this is what is needed to avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change." The Queen's speech also included an energy bill, which the government said is intended to help reduce emissions while providing the UK with a secure supply of energy.

The bill would facilitate private investment in offshore gas supply projects and carbon capture and storage, and strengthen the renewables obligation to boost renewable energy in the UK. The energy bill also has provisions to fund the decommissioning and waste management of nuclear power stations if a decision is taken to allow private investment in new facilities. The climate change bill is expected to be put before parliament later this month.

(Por Jessica Aldred, The Guardian, 06/11/2007)