The government’s climate change agenda does not go far enough in moving Britain towards a low-carbon economy, manufacturers have warned.

In its response to the government’s Climate Change Review, the Engineering Employers’ Federation (EEF) said any moves to make lasting reductions in carbon emissions will be unrealistic unless stronger measures are directed towards other sectors.

A government survey of its climate change initiatives revealed yesterday that many will not meet their targets. However, instead of redoubling efforts, both environmental groups and industry have criticised the government for lowering its standards.

The EEF said it had hoped the government’s review would have done more to boost research and development into alternative energy sources and energy efficiency, along with pushing forward with bolder measures in the transport and domestic sectors.

For example, Climate Change Agreements (CCA) are an effective tool in reducing emissions, it said, and the government should be doing more to promote them to other sectors within industry.

What’s more, some initiatives are being applied with a broad brush, the group said.

It claims that reliance on measures that raise the price of energy and the cost of electricity under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme are unlikely to make significant progress in reducing CO2 in sectors with limited potential to reduce emissions.

Instead, it puts at risk the competitiveness of those companies that have already substantially reduced emissions.

“Whilst manufacturers will welcome some increased focus towards the domestic sector, they will regard this package of measures as feeble and nowhere near sufficient to achieve the scale of change necessary,” said Martin Temple, EEF director general.

“We need bolder measures to enable all other sectors to play their full part.”

The EEF found itself in agreement with groups like Friends of the Earth (FoE), which claimed that emissions have risen 3% under the Labour government.

“Once again the government has caved in to short-term political pressures and produced a totally inadequate response,” said Tony Juniper, director of FoE. “

This pathetic strategy will not deliver the government’s promise to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20% by 2010, and will further undermine the prime minister’s reputation on this issue.

“It's time that ministers accepted how their present programme is failing and embrace the need for a stronger and more structured approach.”