The Committee on Climate Change, the UK Government’s independent advisors on tackling and preparing for climate change has said that the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions rose 3% in 2010 and that more needs to be done to meet official government targets.

The comments come in Meeting carbon budgets, the Committee’s 3rd annual Progress Report to Parliament  published this morning. The annual reports cover the progress made by the UK in reducing emissions and meeting carbon budgets as required under the Climate Change Act (2008).

The CCC says that the 3% increase in emissions during 2010 was primarily due to due to extra energy demand in last year’s cold weather. However the general trend is flat, which is "incompatible" with the 3% annual cuts required. Although emissions for 2010 were within the five-yearly sets of emission targets - "carbon budgets" proposed by the CCC and formally adopted by the Government, the CCC says this was mainly due to the recession, leading to lower economic activity and emissions during 2009.

Keith Allott, head of climate change with environment group WWF-UK commented:

"This is the third progress report from the CCC, and each one has said that a step change is needed."

"The government now has no excuses for failing to listen. The UK urgently needs clear, stable and strong policies that will unlock the potential of the low carbon economy."

Meeting the successive carbon budgets proposed by the CCC and accepted by the Government is now a legal requirement.