A report from economic forecaster Cambridge Econometrics showed earlier this year that the UK is likely to miss its targets for cutting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions because power generators are switching to cheaper but more polluting coal from natural gas.

Many scientists say the greenhouse gas CO2 is a key factor behind global warming which if unchecked could cause glaciers and polar ices to melt and sea levels to rise.

Britain aims to cut greenhouse gases emissions by 23 percent and CO2 emissions by 20 percent on 1990 levels by 2010 under a non-binding national target.

This is almost the double the target of 12.5 percent to which the UK is committed under a global Kyoto protocol to cut greenhouse gases. But Meacher was not alarmed over a recent rise in CO2 emissions in Britain.

"There was an increase in CO2 emissions the last year...but we don't expect that to last and do not think it will affect the overall achievement," he said.

Meacher also dismissed worries that prices for renewable power might rocket because not enough plants will be built to meet government targets due to planning delays.

"I doubt (prices will rise) but that would be a good thing for the renewable energy sector," he said, adding: "If it is thought that renewable prices are going to rise that would encourage people to invest."

Britain plans to boost electricity consumption from renewable energy sources such as wind, biomass and solar power to 10 percent by 2010 from a current 2.8 percent as a tool to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Another measure to lower the CO2 emissions has been to support the construction of relatively clean gas-fired combined heat and power (CHP) plants but fresh reports show new investments have fallen sharply in the last year.

"It is serious but we are addressing it," Meacher said, adding he was confident the government's new CHP strategy would be sufficient to reach a goal to double the CHP capacity to 10,000 megawatts by 2010.

He said the government was still reviewing its stance on Britain's ageing nuclear power industry which produces about a third of the country's electricity as to whether new plants should be built or nuclear energy should be phased out all together.

Environmentalists worry about the radioactive waste produced by nuclear power which, on the other hand, does not emit any CO2.

Britain could lose 20 percent of its electricity generation by 2020 as current nuclear reactors reach the end of their operational life and many fear the gap could be replaced with power from CO2-emitting oil and coal.

Meacher said the government was likely to come out with a nuclear policy by the end of the year and that a recent government report recommended that 20 percent of Britain's power should come from green energy sources by 2020.