BUSINESS is doing more than anybody to tackle climate change, according to the CBI.

The employers’ organisation has called on the Government to acknowledge the contribution industry is making to resolving the climate change problem and for environmental groups to praise rather than pillory business.

The call comes as the Government announces that the UK looks likely to fall short on its self-imposed goal to cut carbon dioxide emissions to 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2010.

It is estimated that CO2 emissions are currently down by just 7.5 per cent but ministers remain confident of achieving the 12.5 per cent reduction target for the UK as agreed in the Kyoto Protocol.

Nigel Bourne, CBI South East Regional Director, said: “Too often it is business that gets the blame despite the fact that many of these problems are outside the control of companies.

"British business is doing more than anybody else to tackle climate change and to date the Government has spared the consumer of any of the burden.

“When it comes to the environment British business is way ahead of its competitors. We are streets ahead when you compare us with close neighbours like France or Germany or the big polluters like the US, India and China.

"The route to reducing our global dependency on fossil fuels is technology and it is business that is leading the way on bringing these to market."