Government departments submit data on their carbon emissions for annual Sustainable Development in Government Reports. The last report published by the Sustainable Development Commission in December 2005, covering the reporting period April 2004 to March 2005, is available at: http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/watchdog
DEFRA reported a 3 per cent. increase in absolute carbon emissions since 1999-2000, against a target of a 12.5 per cent. reduction by 2010-11 for central Government departments. It should be noted that due to machinery of government changes, the area occupied by the Department and its Executive Agencies increased by almost 9 per cent. during this period.
On 12 June 2006, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced new sustainable operations targets for the Government Estate, replacing those in place since 2004. They focus on key areas such as carbon neutrality and emissions, energy efficiency, waste and water consumption.
They require all central Government departments to: reverse the current upward trend in carbon emissions by April 2007; reduce carbon emissions by 12.5 per cent. by 2010-11, (relative to 1999-2000 levels); reduce carbon emissions by 30 per cent. by 2020; have a carbon neutral office estate by 2012; and reduce carbon emissions from road vehicles used for Government administrative operations by 15 per cent. by 2010-11, (relative to 2005-06 levels).