London announces plan to cut emissions

LONDON - The mayor of London on Tuesday announced the city's first comprehensive plan to cut carbon emissions, stressing that global warming must be tackled locally.

Cities must seize the initiative on climate change, given the sluggish behavior of national governments, said Mayor Ken Livingstone.

"The fight to tackle climate change will either be won in cities such as London or will not be won at all," he said. "Cities are responsible for 75 percent of all the world's carbon emissions, and what London does to cut its emissions — and by working with other cities to do the same — could make a real difference to tackling climate change."

Livingstone said London aimed to reduce its emissions by 20.2 million tons by 2025 through municipal initiatives. He said he hoped emissions levels could be cut by an additional 13.1 million tons through national and international programs, such as initiatives aimed at reducing air travel.

Countries have been hesitant to adopt sweeping energy reforms, said Paul De Zylva, the head of Friends of the Earth environmental group in London.

"National governments are increasingly out of touch with what is needed," he said. "They've dropped the ball and they have the chance to pick it up and start leading."

Livingstone's plan focuses on reducing carbon emissions in four main areas — homes, businesses, energy production and transportation.

London homes account for 38 percent of emissions in the city, and the mayor said the average household could save $589 on its fuel bill through emission cuts.

As part of the initiative, the city will set up a service to advise Londoners on making their homes more energy efficient. The service would offer advice on matters as small as buying eco-friendly light bulbs and as big as remodeling an entire home to make it as environmentally friendly as possible.

The city will also offer reduced-price insulation for all homes that would benefit, and would offer it for free to the poor.

"Londoners don't have to reduce their quality of life to tackle climate change," Livingstone said. "But we do need to change the way we live."

They are starting to. Public transportation use and cycling has increased after the city introduced an $16 charge for cars traveling in the busiest sections of the city.

Under Livingstone's new plan, which comes into effect later this year, the city will charge vehicles according to their emissions levels. Zero-emission vehicles would travel free while the highest-polluting cars would pay $49 a day.