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Update (2008): Visit our virtual town, EfficienCity, to see decentralised energy in action.

Turning everyday buildings into power stations could slash UK carbon emissions by at least 15%

Britain's homes and workplaces would become mini-power stations generating huge amounts of electricity and making the UK the leading nation in the fight against climate change, if the vision laid out in a new report becomes reality.

Responding to the G8 communiqué on climate change Greenpeace executive director Stephen Tindale said:

"The scientific community has given an unequivocal signal that urgent and radical action is needed to cut emissions and stabilise the climate. The G8 communique has failed to acknowledge this warning. This has left the G8 leaders treading water on this crucial issue.

7 July 2005 - Greenpeace today branded the G8 agreement on climate change 'a major missed opportunity to tackle dangerous climate change'.

Despite spin from the British government it is clear that there has been no change in the US position and it remains alone in resisting the urgent need for action.

As the G8 summit gets underway in Scotland, environment and development groups are urging Prime Minister Tony Blair and other world leaders to stand up to President Bush and agree a clear way forward for climate protection.

The US is the only G8 country not to have ratified the Kyoto Protocol and the Bush administration has already tried to weaken early drafts of the G8 communiqué, objecting to language that includes statements that the world is warming, human activity is mostly to blame and developed economies must lead the fight against the problem.

Commenting on today's announcement of funding for so-called carbon abatement technology, Greenpeace Chief Scientist Dr Doug Parr said:

"Greenpeace welcomes investments in improved energy efficiency, but has real reservations about burying carbon. We have no objection in principle to the capture of carbon dioxide and its storage in underground formations but the pursuit of this technology is a distraction from the real priorities of implementing renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies which are available right now. Not one penny of government money that's earmarked for these solutions should be diverted to sequestration.

Greenpeace volunteers confronted Chelsea residents opposing the congestion charge with the message 'Save the climate - Congestion charging works'.

The message was unfurled in West London, just off Kensington High Street, on a seven metre long banner as a convoy of cars from one of London's richest areas started their protest to call for a halt to the planned extension of the congestion charging zone.

Deputy PM needs to 'get his house in order' on energy efficiency

Greenpeace volunteers have fitted solar panels to John Prescott's roof and hung a huge banner across his house that says, "OI 2 JAGS! HIT TARGETS, NOT VOTERS".