Council leaders today praised local authorities, but said more could be done to tackle climate change.

Angus Provost Bill Middleton, who will formally sign the declaration at a ceremony in Forfar next month, said, “Scotland’s local authorities are at the forefront of signing up to Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration, and we look forward to working with others to address climate change through local leadership and action.”

Dundee City Council administration leader Jill Shimi said the council had already introduced energy saving policies when Morgan Academy was recently rebuilt, by boring into the ground to utilise heat emissions and save energy.

She also highlighted the development of a travel plan to get more people to use public transport, and the need to examine ways in which flood risks could be reduced.

Ms Shimi added the council would be making representations to the Executive on waiving the planning fees for the installation of domestic wind turbines. These cost a standard fee of £130 for permission, a figure the Executive is examining.

Bryan Harris, Dundee council’s environmental strategy officer, said there were no longer landfill sites in the city, and the Dundee Energy Recycling Ltd waste-to-energy plant was being run efficiently.

Mr Harris said that, while solar panels were one way of conserving energy, householders should also be encouraged to use other measures, such as loft and wall insulation.

The environmental group Friends of the Earth warned the Executive had to provide funds and support to enable targets to be achieved, particularly to councils which contributed massively to Scotland’s climate emissions.

The group’s chief executive, Duncan McLaren, said, “To stop climate chaos, we need to see year-on-year cuts in emissions of at least 3%, but this will not be achieved without vigorous Executive leadership and funding.”