The UK Government is considering further reducing Britain‘‘s carbon emissions‘‘ target and cutting the use of disposable plastic bags.

Sky News reports that in his first major speech on the environment as Prime Minister, Gordon Brown said Britain must lead the world and commit to becoming a low carbon economy. That could mean reducing the UK‘‘s carbon emissions from 60% to 80% by 2050. He said the change would need "no less than a fourth technological revolution," but that the added value of the low carbon energy sector globally could by £3 trillion per year by 2050.

This means over a million people in Britain could be employed in environmental industries within the next 20 years, he said. Mr Brown also announced that the Government would convene a forum of supermarkets to dicuss how to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags. "I am convinced," he said, "that we can eliminate single-use disposable bags altogether in favour of long-lasting and more sustainable alternatives."

But shadow environment secretary Peter Ainsworth said the Prime Minister‘‘s record on the environment so far had been poor.

"Just this weekend, we learnt of a further £300 million of crippling cuts to key environmental services," he said. "Until Gordon Brown learns that tough action is needed to back up his warm words, he cannot be the change the country needs."