THE Government was today publishing the outcome of an 18- month review of its climate change programme.
The move comes amid calls from environmental groups to ministers not to ignore solutions to global warming, which it is claimed would make big cuts in carbon dioxide emissions without the use of nuclear power.
And the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, today warned failure to act on global warming could lead to suffering and death on a massive scale.
Unless attitudes changed, coercive action may be needed from governments around the world to force people to reduce their production of greenhouse gases, he suggested.
The Green Alliance said it did not expect the announcement by Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett would hit the 20% reduction target in greenhouse gases.
However, the Alliance said a number of announcements made in last week's Budget indicated there would be some steps in the right direction on household energy efficiency.
The Alliance also believes the Government is likely to rule out a UK carbon trading scheme at this stage.
Friends of the Earth said with the right Government policies in place, solutions including better energy efficiency, hybrid technology in cars, more renewable power like wind, tidal power and biomass, will make a big difference and the Government will be on track to meet its targets.
Friends of the Earth executive director Tony Juniper said: "This is Tony Blair's chance to show he is listening to over half of the UK's MPs and to the tens of thousands of people across the country who support The Big Ask, Friends of the Earth's demand for a climate change law."
