TWO senior government figures have called for the introduction of a green tax system to force individuals and firms to cut energy consumption.

Sir David King, the chief scientist, and Elliot Morley, an environment minister, want to introduce personal energy quotas, fossil fuel rationing and surcharges on flights.

They spoke out separately before the next major round of climate talks, which are due to start in Montreal next month. Ministers will be trying to negotiate a successor to the Kyoto treaty on climate change that expires in 2012.

King outlined his views in a paper in the Journal of Applied Ecology. He warns that the 1997 Kyoto treaty, under which signatory countries agreed to cut carbon emissions, was only the start of a longer process and must be followed by talks on tougher measures.

He says: “It is the first step to attaching a fiscal value to not emitting carbon dioxide. This will be a key driver in reducing emissions and, once it is running, the process will have to be ratcheted up so that we can bring emissions sufficiently under control.”

King also warns that the aviation industry must be restrained. He said: “Transport is responsible for about 25% of our carbon dioxide emissions. Air transport has become relatively cheap partly because there is no mechanism for applying tax to aviation fuel.”

King is understood to have discussed plans under which every person and organisation in Britain would be issued with a carbon allowance, effectively a form of energy rationing.

Under such a scheme those who wanted to drive or fly a lot, and so would exceed their quota, would have to buy extra carbon allowances from others who needed less.

Such an approach is increasingly seen as essential if Britain is to fulfil its pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions 60% by 2050, compared with 1990 levels.

In the paper King does not spell out exactly what kind of taxes and fiscal measures he has in mind or how they would be imposed. Such a statement would risk angering the Treasury.

However, Morley is more specific. He confirmed that there was growing interest in imposing “carbon quotas” on individuals, companies and the public sector.

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