Government 'must define zero-carbon target'

The government has yet to define what it means by 'zero carbon' and must do so before targets can be met, the Green Alliance has claimed.

The organisation has said that the government's promise to publish an accurate definition this November must materialise because its existing interpretation, that a home should be heated and powered without the use of fossil fuels, is "inadequate".

Any move towards offsetting rather than a definition based on the standard of the building itself would be very concerning, the alliance added.

"Definition is quite critical because we are keen that any definition of zero carbon is a home that is highly insulated, that uses onsite or community level renewable energy for lighting and heating or cooling," clarified Green Alliance senior policy advisor Tracy Carty.

"We are very concerned about any possible move to have a large offsetting component within any definition of zero carbon.

"We want […] it to be about the building standard and the extent to which the building generates energy. We wouldn’t want it to be acceptable to have all the energy to come from a huge wind farm," Ms Carty added.

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