GREEN travel plans and continuing cuts in vehicle emissions will play a key part in the UK achieving tough new climate-change goals, deputy prime minister John Prescott said this week. In publishing a consultation document 'Climate Change: Draft UK Programme', Prescott set out how the UK planned to respond to the December 1997 Kyoto Protocol to which it contributed.

Radical changes were needed, said Prescott, and while he agreed 'good progress' had been made - particularly in vehicle technology - further moves to cut pollution levels were needed. Prescott now wants UK carbon dioxide emissions to be 20% below 1990 levels by 2010. 'We promised to lead the fight against climate change and we are delivering this promise,' he said.

To achieve that it will mean the average fuel efficiency of new cars must improve by at least 25% by 2008-2009 under existing European Community-level agreements with car manufacturers. The consultation period continues until June 2 when the Government will review proposals and prepare a UK programme by autumn 2000. The UK will then be ready to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.