The British government unveiled a new budget today, which introduced some green initiatives. Some of the plans are shorter term, while others have a longer-term focus.

- Supermarkets must make a solid effort to reduce the usage of plastic grocery bag otherwise there will be a charge for using disposable bags. Chancellor Alistair Darling says this new legislation, which may be take effect in 2009, would see approximately 12 billion less plastic bags in circulation.

- A carbon budget will be introduced with the traditional fiscal budget next year.

- The government is raising their emissions targets from 60 per cent to 80 per cent by 2050. Vehicles and air travel will also be subject to taxes, however the plan to raise fuel duty this April was postponed until October.

- Darling believes new vehicle initiatives, such as plans to excise duty and introduce tax bands in 2010, will ideally encourage consumers to choose more eco-friendly cars. "Cars that emit less than the proposed 130 grammes per kilometre European standard of carbon dioxide emissions will pay no car tax at all in the first year," he said. "But a higher first-year rate will be introduced on the most polluting cars."

» Guardian