CARBON emissions in Haringey are to be monitored more rigourously through an annual report calculating the borough's carbon footprint.

The Carbon Report is being pushed by Haringey Council's finance and sustainability boss Councillor Joe Goldberg who said local authorities could not afford to ignore climate change.

It builds on the council's bid to become one of London's greenest boroughs and will set a framework for reporting on how well it is progessing against its target to reduce Haringey's carbon emissions (C02) by 40 per cent by 2020. The figure is 2 per cent higher than the London target.

At a meeting of the full council on Monday, January 17, Cllr Goldberg said: "The Carbon Report demonstrates our commitment to making real changes which will deliver real results for the benefit of the local environment, residents and economy."

He added that a carbon management plan and a special ring-fenced budget to help the council achieve its goals but suggested that a committment to the green agenda could have long term financial benefits.

In 2010, "green businesses" generated £267million for Haringey's economy and helped create much needed jobs.

The Carbon Report also a revealed the west of the borough, including Fortis Green, Muswell Hill, Alexandra and Highgate, was responsible for the majority of carbon emissions from homes.

Domestic emissions accounts for 52 per cent of direct C02 emissions, road traffic creates 20 per cent and the remaining 28 per cent is due to industry and commercial trade.