The government has been warned that it must spend all of a £1.6bn windfall on new technology to combat climate change.

The money will come from the auction of carbon emission permits over the next four years aimed at cutting CO2 emissions.
 
Under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) the government sells permits to industry which sets a limit on the amount of emissions. If they exceed their allowance they have to buy extra permits from other companies.

The organisers of the cap-and-trade scheme, set up in 2005, hope that it will halt and then progressively lower CO2 emissions across Europe. ... Read full article