Cutting VAT on home improvements will help crackdown on cowboy builders, the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC) has said.The organisation has given its support to calls from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) to drop the VAT on renovation works to five per cent.Andrew Leech, director of the NHIC, explained...

European energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs has met with counterparts in Australia to reinforce collaboration on projects designed to tackle climate change.Commissioner Piebalgs signed a memorandum of understanding in Melbourne to commit the EU as a founding member of the new Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Institute.Developed by the Australian government...

The European Commission has announced €4 billion worth of funding for new energy projects across the continent.As part of the European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR), the Commission will support work to establish new wind power and carbon capture and storage (CCS) developments.The €3.98 billion fund will be allocated over...

The UK's industrial biotechnology (IB) sector can boost the number of available jobs and support plans to work towards a low-carbon economy.A new report from the government's IB Growth Team (IB-IGT) has revealed that the industry could be worth between £4 billion and £12 billion in the UK by 2025.Globally,...

Compost labels should be changed to help consumers establish which products contain peat, Hilary Benn has said.Peat bogs store carbon and harvesting the material for use in compost damages wildlife and contributes to climate change, the environment secretary explained.Speaking before a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show, Mr Benn called...

The government would need to spend £3 billion each year for the next seven years to meet its current fuel poverty targets, according to new figures.Consumer Focus has said that ending fuel poverty by 2016 will require substantially more funding than originally planned.The consumer group warned that if this extra...

Motorists can save money by using so-called 'eco-driving' techniques, the AA has said. The motoring group explained that young drivers looking to limit their impact on the environment can cut fuel consumption by learning a number of different skills.Eco-driving techniques include changing gear as soon as possible and turning off...

The first Europe-wide conference on the potential of algae biomass energy is to be held in Florence in July, it has been announced. The European Algae Biomass Association (EABA) has confirmed that a number of scientists, as well as representatives from the European Union will meet in the Italian city...

A new £200 million biomass power station is to be constructed in the north-east of England, it has been announced. Due to be located on the site of a former power station on the Billingham Reach Industrial Estate in Tarm, the planned plant will be capable of producing sufficient energy...

Prince Charles is to urge architects to focus more heavily on developing sustainable buildings that will provide functional solutions to the UK's current environmental challenges.Speaking to delegates at the Royal Institute of British Architects, the prince will say he believes architects should be driven by principles to use the newest...

The government intends to fit smart meters in every UK home by 2020.Energy and climate change secretary Ed Miliband revealed the plan today (May 11th) and highlighted the benefits the devices would bring.As well as helping to cut carbon emissions by encouraging homeowners to consider their own energy consumption, the...