Labour may not meet its own target

The UK is doing better than many other countries at cutting greenhouse gas emissions, a group of UN experts says.

Britain is well on track to meet Kyoto's target of reducing emissions by 12.5%, compared to 1990 levels, the experts say.

But the UK may not make its own tougher target of 20%, which government officials have insisted is attainable.

The targets on the six gases must be met between 2008 and 2012.

Friends of the Earth say the report will not be all good for the government and that the experts' report will call on the UK to do more - especially at its power stations.

Rising emissions

Spokesman Roger Hickman said: "It is good Britain is a leader in terms of climate change. It brings us international standing but we shouldn't rest on our laurels.

"We've got to do more ourselves. Our own emissions have actually risen during the last five or six years under the Labour government.

"We are going to have to introduce more measures to crack down on pollution."

Mr Hickman said measures to slightly increase petrol prices and tackle pollution from power stations were not radical.

"If the industrialised world continues to pollute, millions of people in the next 50 years are going to die as a result of natural disasters."